TEAM	nba Average	Vegas O/U	Difference
los-angeles-lakers	52	47.5	4.5
houston-rockets	38.2	35.5	2.7
milwaukee-bucks	53.5	51	2.5
denver-nuggets	46.8	44.5	2.3
memphis-grizzlies	33.2	31.5	1.7
boston-celtics	47.2	45.5	1.7
dallas-mavericks	44.0	42.5	1.5
los-angeles-clippers	47.7	46.5	1.2
washington-wizards	33.7	32.5	1.2
oklahoma-city-thunder	24.7	23.5	1.2
philadelphia-76ers	45.4	44.5	0.9
toronto-raptors	43.3	42.5	0.8
utah-jazz	41.9	41.5	0.4
indiana-pacers	39.5	39.5	0.0
miami-heat	44.5	44.5	0.0
portland-trail-blazers	40.3	40.5	-0.3
san-antonio-spurs	29.1	29.5	-0.4
orlando-magic	31.4	32	-0.6
charlotte-hornets	24.8	25.5	-0.7
sacramento-kings	27.3	28.5	-1.2
phoenix-suns	37.9	39.5	-1.6
cleveland-cavaliers	19.8	21.5	-1.7
minnesota-timberwolves	26.6	28.5	-1.9
chicago-bulls	27.5	29.5	-2.0
brooklyn-nets	43.5	45.5	-2.0
new-york-knicks	19.7	22.5	-2.8
detroit-pistons	20.6	23.5	-2.9
new-orleans-pelicans	32.4	35.5	-3.1
atlanta-hawks	31.8	35.5	-3.7
golden-state-warriors	32.6	38.5	-5.9

introduction: why "voter fatigue" may be a tired narrative
Every year, we try to come up with likely MVP winners and potential darkhorse candidates. It's a fun thought exercise to see the various scenarios that could play out.
But in reality, the field may be a lot narrower than we imagine. After all, there's a stark difference between being in the general MVP discussion and being an actually viable MVP winner. Consider this. A few years ago, Isaiah Thomas garnered a ton of "MVP!" buzz for his season in Boston. He finished 5th, and didn't receive a single first-place vote. Two years ago, Paul George had a career season in Oklahoma City and finished 3rd in MVP. With that, he received a grand total of 0 first-place votes. This past season, Luka Doncic was a huge storyline and earned some MVP buzz. He received a grand total of 0 first-place votes. These guys may have been near the podium, but they weren't close to being in the actual winner's circle. Damian Lillard has never gotten a first-place MVP vote. Nikola Jokic has never gotten a first-place MVP vote. Anthony Davis has never gotten a first-place MVP vote. The point is: it's really friggin' hard to win the MVP trophy.
The hope for a lot of these MVP virgins is the idea of "voter fatigue." Giannis Antetokounmpo won the trophy last year, so media members will likely get bored and not vote for him again. That makes sense, in theory, but ignores the fact that Giannis won it two years ago as well. He was a back-to-back winner, voter fatigue be damned. And Giannis is hardly alone in that. In the 2000s, we've seen several repeat winners. Tim Duncan repeated as MVP. Steve Nash repeated as MVP. Stephen Curry repeated as MVP. LeBron James repeated as MVP -- on two separate occasions. All in all, there have been 6 repeat winners (if we include LeBron twice) in the 2000s, and only 8 MVP winners who did not have a repeat. The best recent argument for "voter fatigue" may have been in 2010-11 when Derrick Rose won over LeBron James (who finished 3rd) and broke LeBron James' MVP streak. Still, Rose led the Bulls to 62 wins and # 1 seed that year, while LeBron James' stacked Miami Heat team only won 58 games. It's understandable how Rose may have won that season based on the typical criteria of the time.
However, we've seen a shift over the last few years in voting, and more attention paid to actual statistics. Advanced statistics. Win shares. VORP. RPM. LMNOP. MVP voters are "smarter" now, and know that they'll be lambasted for voting for narrative over actual production. There are still a few holdovers in that regard, but in general, it's hard to justify picking an inferior candidate these days.
Because of that, the actual MVP field may be quite small. Typically, James Harden's statistical greatness would be a barrier to entry, but there's a chance he's off the reservation this year. Still, Giannis Antetokounmpo should still be poised to put up similar production to the last few years. Let's say -- for the sake of argument -- that Giannis gets 10% worse across the board. Is that likely? No. But hey, players can dip up and down like that from year to year. So if Giannis did get 10% worse for whatever reason, then his averages would fall to... 26.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. His team (at 10% worse) would fall all the way down to 50 wins (in a 72 game season.) Even at that reduced pace, that's still an extremely high bar to set. For someone to beat reduced-Giannis, they'd have to surpass him in ONE of those areas. Either their statistical production would have to be better, or their team would have to be better and drive a "narrative" awards campaign.
So who can actually do that? Which players are viable to beat 26-12-5 numbers or have teams that win 50+ games? Here would be my best guesses of the tiers of ACTUAL MVP candidates.

TIER 3: theoretically possible, but very unlikely

Donovan Mitchell (UTA) : The Utah Jazz are a realistic darkhorse candidate for a 1 or 2 seed this year, so star scorer Donovan Mitchell may get swept up in that momentum. Based on his play in the bubble, it's possible to envision him boosting his averages from the 24 point range up towards 28 points per game. Still, expecting him to do that while matching MVP-caliber efficiency is asking a lot. Last season, he scored with a 55.8% true shooting percentage, which is a far cry from the James Hardens' of the world.
Trae Young (ATL): I have a friend who’s betting on Trae Young for MVP based on the idea that he should put up monster stats and the Hawks should be 10+ games better. I don’t know if the team can vault as high as the top 6 out East though myself, which is why I’d put this in the unlikely category.
Zion Williamson (NO) : Don't scoff at this either, because there's a potential lane here for some "Zion MVP!" buzz. As a rookie, he looked like a dominant force around the rim, averaging 29 points per 36 minutes and converting 67% around the rim (with offensive rebounds to boot.) Even more impressive, he may not have been at 100%. If he comes back at a level above his play (pre bubble), then he could be one of the top 10 impact players in the league. If that comes with New Orleans rising up into the top 6 out West, Williamson could crack the top 10 for MVP. Winning it? That seems farfetched.
Jayson Tatum (BOS) and Jimmy Butler (MIA) : Both forwards have a chance to land the 1 or 2 seed in a best case scenario. They may also put up All-NBA level statistics. But can either of them reach Giannis-level stats in terms of efficiency and volume? That's really hard to imagine based on last year. A top 3/top 5 finish is feasible, but an actual MVP win seems very unlikely.
Damian Lillard (POR) : Poor Damian Lillard has been overshadowed by Steph Curry and James Harden for the most part; if not for them, we'd be talking about him as one of the most efficient high-volume scorers of all time. He should have another incredible year, but he'd likely need a lot of team success to register in the top 3 for MVP. The Blazers should be better, but they have a long way to go after being 35-39 last year.

TIER 2: potential candidates, but unlikely winners

Nikola Jokic (DEN) : Nikola Jokic is a good bet to return to the top 5 in voting (he finished # 4 last year) based on his individual efficiency and his team success. Still, I don't see him winning the trophy unless the Nuggets get the # 1 overall seed. That's possible, but not likely. Last season, their point differential and SRS suggested a team that was should have been ranked about 10th or 11th in the NBA.
Joel Embiid (PHI) : Joel Embiid's stats (23-12-3) are close enough to MVP caliber that he could theoretically win if he powers the Sixers to a # 1 overall seed. Still, you'd be banking on him staying healthy for 65+ games, and you'd be banking on all the credit going his way as opposed to Ben Simmons (who may take a huge jump with better spacing around him.)
Anthony Davis (LAL) : Anthony Davis will always be blocked from MVP based on the fact that LeBron James is on his team. That said, if LeBron James did miss time, then AD would become a viable contender. At this point in his career, he's capable of putting up monster 30-15 numbers every night, and the stigma about him not being a winner has vanished.
Kawhi Leonard (LAC) : The Clippers have a better chance at the # 1 seed if they push the pedal to the medal, but I still don't think they'll do that. Given all his injury history, I still expect them to coast and load manage until the playoffs arrive. That strategy may not have worked last year, but at least Leonard made it through the year healthy. I don't anticipate Ty Lue risking his health for an MVP run.
Steph Curry (GS) : Last year, I picked Steph Curry to win MVP. My theory was that he'd have the greenlight to shoot 12+ threes a game, which could vault him to historic numbers. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay healthy. Now at age 32 (turning 33 in March), I'm less bullish on the idea that he can register outputs like that for 65+ games himself.
Kevin Durant (BKN) : Again, the struggle here is health. If you told me that we were getting Kevin Durant back to 100%, then he'd be my pick to win the whole trophy. He'd be able to put up gaudy numbers and vault the Nets into the top 3 of the East. The "narrative" would also be a strong one. Alas, I don't think KD returning to 100% in Year 1 is realistic. More so, the Nets would be foolish to push him too hard. He should be entering the Kawhi Leonard load management program.

TIER 1: true and legitimate candidates

(4) LeBron James (LAL)
For some of these campaigns, we need to stretch our imagination to some degree and project things that haven't been done before. That's not the case here with LeBron James. To win MVP, all he'd need to do is repeat what he did last year (25 points, 10 assists per game, # 1 seed). The voters gave the award to Giannis by a healthy margin, but I suspect they'd lean LeBron James' way if the two repeated identically as a way for a misguided "makeup call" and respect to James' title run this past season.
Given all that, why do I only have "the King" listed at # 4? Because I don't think he'll repeat this past year, nor will he try to. He's 35 and about to turn 36 in a few weeks. He doesn't need to play 67/72 games again, and he doesn't need to play 34.6 minutes a night again. The Lakers should have their swagger on after winning the chip, so they'd feel more comfortable going into cruise control during the regular season. I suspect the additions of Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell were made with that logic in mind; the duo should give the Lakers' stars more time off.
(3) James Harden (HOU)
To say there's "bad buzz" about James Harden right now is an understatement. It's like his MVP candidacy got stung by killer bees.
That said, James Harden is also someone who's proven he's capable of an MVP run; he's already reached that high bar, again and again and again. He should be in contention every single year he's active right now given his incredible workload, volume, and efficiency. Unlike LeBron James, he can't take many nights off here in Houston. The Rockets will need him to be Mega-Harden every night if they want to make the playoffs in the crowded West.
Basically, all Harden has to do to get back into the mix is show up. Play hard. Do your thing. Even with a mediocre supporting cast, he's able to put up ridiculous stats and lead his team to the 45-win range. If he does that again, no one's going to remember this ugly last month.
(2) Luka Doncic (DAL)
According to Vegas, Luka Doncic is far and away the frontrunner for MVP. He's listed at +300 odds (bet $100, win $300 profit). In contrast, Giannis is +650, LeBron James is +900.
No doubt, you can understand why. After taking a leap as a sophomore, the MVP should be in his sights. He averaged 29-8-8 last season and still has room for improvement. In fact, if he can just "up" his three-point shooting to league average, he should threaten 30-10-10. If he does that, all he'd need is for the Mavericks to get into the top 4 range out West to be a winner. This is also a franchise and player that should embrace that push. In the last decade or so, the "MVP chase" has become a young man's game (while older veterans often coast and wait until the playoffs.) Dallas would take huge pride in giving their star that trophy. I wouldn't say it's as good as 3/1 odds, but it's a stark possibility.
(1) Giannis Antetoukoumpo (MIL)
Giannis, again?? After last year?? After another playoff failure??
Yeah, even after last year. As mentioned, someone is going to have to make the argument that they're better than Giannis (either statistically or by team success) to take this trophy away from him. While a few others have the potential to do that, it's still an incredibly high bar to meet.
Let's compare him against Luka Doncic, presuming that'll be his closest competition. Last year, the Bucks were clearly better than the Mavericks in the regular season (winning 56 games compared to 43.) Giannis scored more efficiently than Doncic (61.3% to 58.5% in terms of true shooting.) Giannis is also far superior as a defensive player. If the Greek Freak can sweep Doncic across the board in all those criteria, what argument would a voter have for Luka Doncic? They want something new? Giannis hasn't proven himself in the playoffs? Neither of those are particularly compelling. Doncic looked good last year against the Clippers, but he still hasn't won a playoff series himself so it's hard to use that particular argument right now. As mentioned, voter fatigue may be overrated as a factor as well. Sure, it's happened now and then (Karl Malone over Michael Jordan is one of the better examples) but it's happened less and less often lately as voters are held more accountable.
TL;DR
Overall, there are probably 4-5 likely winners of MVP and maybe 5-6 more that could join them as possible contenders. But among them all, I'd still say that Giannis Antetoukoumpo should have the best odds of winning.

[Vegas Insider] Early NBA W/L odds expect Mavs to be 4th in West with o/u of 42.5, behind LAL/LAC/DEN and ahead of POR/UTA/PHX/GSW

Spoiler Alert: the results of the 2020-21 NBA Season

Some fans (like myself) loathe reading "spoilers" for their favorite TV shows or movies. Others actively seek them out.
One of the best parts of being a sports fan is that it's impossible to look ahead and know the outcome of the season. However, I happened to stumble upon a Sports Almanac and will divulge the results for you now. Of course, if you're prefer not to know what happens this year, skip this post and be surprised instead.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Milwaukee Bucks : 50-22
With the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo's extensions serving as an early Christmas present, the Bucks roll into the year with good vibes and another dominant regular season run. Their new supporting takes some time to gel which leads to some more close games, but in turn that causes Giannis Antetokounmpo to play more minutes and put up better raw stats than ever (averaging 30 PPG for the first time in his career). Despite that, he's not a runaway MVP winner. Some voter fatigue and playoff backlash causes a split vote, with 5 different players receiving first-place voters. When the smoke clears and the dust settles, Giannis wins a close vote to snag his third consecutive MVP trophy.
(2) Brooklyn Nets : 47-25
The Brooklyn Nets click together early, fueled by a healthy-looking Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. They race out to a 30-11 start to the regular season before taking their foot off the gas to help sustain their health. While that decision may help them in the long run, it costs Kevin Durant his early-season MVP buzz (similar to Kawhi Leonard's season in Toronto.) Still, the Nets enter the postseason with good vibes all around, which earns coach Steve Nash several laudatory media reports and nearly enables him to win Coach of the Year (he finishes second.)
(3) Philadelphia 76ers : 46-26
Speaking of great press, new exec Daryl Morey receives plenty of glowing reviews himself after his tweaks to the roster work wonders. Thanks to the spacing of Seth Curry, Shake Milton, and surprise rookie Isaiah Joe, slashepasser Ben Simmons takes a leap up in efficiency, scoring a career-high 23 points a game and earning 2nd team All-NBA honors. Inside the locker room, it feels like there's a notable shift towards the roster being more of his team than Joel Embiid's. Of course, the club knows they'll need both of them to dominant to make a Finals push.
(4) Toronto Raptors : 45-27
Reigning Coach of the Year Nick Nurse doesn't get half as much recognition as he should for another strong year at the helm, helping the club to easily beat their Vegas oveunder of 41.5 wins. Still, there are cracks under the surface. Now at age 34/35, Kyle Lowry looks like he's lost a step and struggles to match his 36 minutes per game from the prior year. Although nothing is official yet, it looks like the team may have to say goodbye to Lowry at the end of the season as he enters free agency.
(5) Miami Heat : 44-28
The Miami heat don't ride their momentum from the Finals trip into a top seed, partly due to some leaky defense on the perimeter. Frustrated, Pat Riley decides to make a power move and trade for Victor Oladipo. The fit doesn't click right away as the team retains a similar record, but the Heat still feel confident that they can turn up the volume when the playoffs roll around.
(6) Boston Celtics : 43-29
After losing Gordon Hayward, the Boston Celtics' ascent up the Eastern Conference stagnates. For the first time, the media appears to turn on this likable coach and club, wondering if the team needs to make a dramatic trade to shake up the roster. Ultimately, they decide to hold on to Jaylen Brown and the core and take their chances in the playoffs with the current lineup.
(7) Indiana Pacers : 38-34
The Indiana Pacers attempt to shift their playing style under new coach Nate Bjorkgren, but some up and down play leads them to make a move and (as mentioned) trade Victor Oladipo prior to his free agency. Afterwards, they play more minutes with PG Aaron Holiday and PG/SG Malcolm Brogdon in the same lineup, a look that leads to a faster paced offense more befitting of Bjorkgren's ultimate goal for the team. That said, the decision about the future of the Myles TurneDomatas Sabonis pairing looms in the background.
(8) Atlanta Hawks : 35-37
All the moves the Atlanta Hawks made during the offseason pay off -- more or less -- as Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic give Trae Young some much needed help. A year after finishing 26th in total offense, the team leaps up into the top half of the league. Still, struggles on defense keep the team below .500 on the year and lead to a dogfight all year long for that 8th seed.
(9) Washington Wizards : 34-38
New PG Russell Westbrook earns rave reviews from his teammates and from the press early on, as the club jumps out to a 12-8 record and a presumptive playoff spot thanks to a renewed effort and attitude. Ultimately, their poor defense (ranked 30th last season) and their young frontcourt lead to a few too many losses along the way and prevent them from clinching a playoff spot outright. Coach Scott Brooks is let go after the season in favor of Denver assistant Wes Unseld Jr.
(10) Charlotte Hornets : 30-42
The Charlotte Hornets' maligned signing of Gordon Hayward doesn't look too bad (in year 1) as Hayward returns to near All-Star levels with averages of 18-6-5. Still, the youth on the roster cripples any chance of a true playoff finish. At the same time, the future looks brighter than before. LaMelo Ball wins a polarizing Rookie of the Year campaign with good raw stats (15-5-7) on bad efficiency, while R2 pick Vernon Carey flirts with All-Rookie team for a solid 11-7 first year as a scoring big off the bench.
(11) Chicago Bulls : 28-44
One year after winning Coach of the Year for mixing the perfect cocktail in Oklahoma City, Billy Donovan doesn't find the same type of immediate success with the young pieces here in Chicago. Rookie Patrick Williams looks promising, but second year guard Coby White shows more inconsistency than expected in his sophomore campaign.
(12) Orlando Magic : 28-44
Despite the losses of Jonathan Isaac (injury) and D.J. Augustin (free agency), coach Steve Clifford keeps his team in the playoff mix for the first few months of the season. But once the team stumbles during a 1-5 stretch, the front office decides to wave the white flag and trade Aaron Gordon. For them, the purposes are twofold: to give more opportunity to rookie PF Chuma Okeke, and to eye a higher draft pick in a strong class. With that rebuild in mind, the team decides to empower rookie PG Cole Anthony over the last few month, indicating that free agent Markelle Fultz may not be in their future plans after all.
(13) Detroit Pistons : 25-47
Returning from injury, Blake Griffin flashes the All-NBA caliber talent that he displayed two years ago when he led the team to a 41-41 record. However, Griffin continues to miss time here and there, effectively ending the team's chances of being a true playoff contender. The limited spacing also reveals itself, as the team struggles mightily to score in the games Griffin misses (finishing 8-19 without him.)
(14) New York Knicks : 24-48
Hard-charging coach Tom Thibodeau pushes the Knicks too much for them to garner the top spot in the NBA Draft, but they still manage to finish in the bottom 5. For all the early Rookie of the Year buzz for Obi Toppin, he fails to win the award due to Thibodeau overplaying Julius Randle and Toppin's own bad stats on defense.
(15) Cleveland Cavaliers : 21-51
The undersized perimeter leads to an awful defense that leaves the Cavaliers among the worst in the league yet again. The team attempts to trade Kevin Love to a contender, but an injury complicates that timeline and leads to an offseason exit for the big man instead.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Los Angeles Clippers : 48-24
After their embarrassing flameout against Denver, the L.A. Clippers come back with a chip on their shoulder and an eagerness to change the narrative about them. Their regular season play remains similar (top 5 in offense and defense), but comes with more effort and chemistry as a unit. By the time the season ends, they've gotten right back to the level of the Lakers in terms of title odds (+270).
(2) Los Angeles Lakers : 47-25
Unlike their cross-town rival (or rather, same-stadium rival), the L.A. Lakers don't feel the need to drive hard in the regular season after winning the title. LeBron James drastically reduces his workload in the regular season, going from 34.6 minutes a night down to 33.5. In the process, the Lakers lose their grip on the # 1 seed and LeBron James' loses his argument for another MVP. But as the playoffs approach, they don't seem to mind at all; they're still the betting favorite to win the title in Vegas.
(3) Utah Jazz : 44-28
After a full year in the system, PG Mike Conley's struggles are behind him and he helps the team threaten for the # 1 seed. Returning big man Derrick Favors helps the depth and helps the defense return to the top 8 (after falling to 13th last year), and wing Royce O'Neale finally gets some credit for that as well, finishing on the All-Defense team.
(4) Denver Nuggets : 43-29
While the Utah Jazz thrive because of their defense, Denver disappoints because of a declining one. Michael Porter Jr. looks like a future All-Star with averages of 16.7 points per game, but his struggles on the other end (in contrast to Jerami Grant) lead the Nuggets to finish in the bottom half of the league on D and prevent them from the presumptive step up that many expect.
(5) Dallas Mavericks : 41-31
Luka Doncic and company look as good as ever, but their returns demand on expectations. Luka Doncic puts up MVP-caliber stats, but doesn't actually win it (losing to Giannis.) The historically good offense takes a dip as the team realizes how much they miss Seth Curry. In his place, Josh Richardson underwhelms for his second straight team.
(6) New Orleans Pelicans : 38-34
After getting a lot of flak and a lot of flab, Zion Williams looks rejuvenated early on and the hype about him returns quickly. New coach Stan Van Gundy settles on rotations faster than Alvin Gentry did, and trusts his former player J.J. Redick more than Gentry did as well. Redick and Steven Adams' veteran leadership helps the youngsters play hard and fast every night, leading to a playoff spot despite inconsistent shooting as a team. Van Gundy wins Coach of the Year for the unexpected playoff trip and high seed.
(7) Portland Trail Blazers : 37-35
Despite a lot of good will and public support (including a projected # 2 seed from ESPN's Bobby Marks), Portland looks like the same ol' Blazers again with strong offense and poor defense. The feel-good Carmelo Anthony storyline ends poorly. Coach Terry Stotts shelves Anthony towards the second half of the season (due to poor defensive numbers), leading Anthony to bristle and ultimately work out a buy-out with the team.
(8) Phoenix Suns : 37-35
The Phoenix Suns officially turn the corner and become a winning team. Still, there's a stark contrast between their play with Chris Paul and without Chris Paul. And unfortunately for them, Paul's not as healthy as he had been the year before for OKC. He ends up missing 24 games, during which the Suns go 10-14.
(9) Houston Rockets : 36-36
The Houston Rockets play hardball and push the Philadelphia 76ers for a James Harden-Ben Simmons trade, but Daryl Morey and the Rockets stonewall them (feeling no time crunch, given that their stars are both young and on long-term deals.) Fortunately for the Rockets, James Harden sucks it up, starts the year in a Rocket uniform, and immediately looks like an MVP contender again with his incredible workload and efficiency. Alas, his new backcourt mate John Wall doesn't look quite at the same level in his first year back. Wall's struggles hurt the team's ceiling, and ultimately cast a dark cloud over their future (with Wall owed over $40M in each of the next 3 years.) The Harden trade may have been avoided for now, but still looks likely in the offseason.
(10) Golden State Warriors : 34-38
Returning star Steph Curry flashes the talent that made him a two-time MVP for stretches, but minor injuries keep derailing the momentum he has for an MVP push and for a playoff push for the team. Draymond Green doesn't snap back to prime form as many Warriors fans had hoped, leaving some doubt about his future with the club. Fortunately, rookie C James Wiseman steadily improves and looks like a future stud. Unfortunately, it won't be good enough to help the team for this season.
(11) Sacramento Kings: 32-40
The bad buzz about the Sacramento Kings turns around as a healthy De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III jumpstart an improvement from the year before. In fact, Bagley flirts with 20-10 averages, finishing just shy with 18.8 points per game. As a combo guard off the bench, Tyrese Haliburton is one of the most effective rookies in the class. Savvy analysts like Kevin Pelton push for him to win Rookie of the Year, but his limited minutes and counting stats leave him snubbed for the trophy.
(12) San Antonio Spurs : 31-41
The San Antonio Spurs get out to a strong 14-12 start thanks to an improved defense (and a lack of Bryn Forbes), leading many to campaign for Gregg Popovich as a potential Coach of the Year. Eventually the team lags behind in the crowded Western Conference and turns the reins over to the youngsters. DeMar DeRozan gets reduced time down the stretch as the team gets an extended look at Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell as the potential wings of the future.
(13) Minnesota Timberwolves : 29-43
Karl-Anthony Towns continues his blistering pace from three, but doubt lingers about the roster construction beyond that as the next best players (D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, and Malik Beasley) all look like scoring guards. Among them, Beasley appears to be the odd man out, leading to a trade to Orlando in a package that yields back Aaron Gordon. Gordon helps the team's defense, but not in time to make a playoff push for this particular year.
(14) Memphis Grizzlies : 27-45
After a disappointing start to the season, the Grizzlies see no rush to bring back Jaren Jackson Jr. for heavy minutes. Instead, they try to find the right supporting players for the long haul. To that end, PF Brandon Clarke confirms his strong rookie season was no fluke, setting himself up for starters' minutes next season (with the idea being that they'll shift Jaren Jackson to the center position full time as well.)
(15) Oklahoma City Thunder : 18-54
Sam Presti and new coach Mark Daigneault work in tandem to help secure a top lottery pick for the club. Thanks to newly expanded rosters, the Thunder team looks even more anonymous than the Hinkie Sixers by the end, playing the equivalent of G-Leaguers for the last few weeks of the season. While OKC lands the top slot going into the lottery, they end up with the # 3 pick and miss out on the chance to draft local product Cade Cunningham. Still, it may be a blessing in disguise, as other top prospects SG Jalen Green and C Evan Mobley project to be good complements to foundational piece Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS

PLAY-IN GAMES
The Charlotte Hornets earn some buzz (get it??) and some predictions that they'll knock off the Indiana Pacers, but the Pacers handle their business and win 1-0. Meanwhile, the 8th-9th series between Atlanta and Washington is a dogfight. Russell Westbrook helps the Wizards win Game 1 with a 23-9-11 line, but he goes an ugly 7-23 in the second game as the Hawks win out.
ROUND ONE
(1) Milwaukee vs. (8) Atlanta
Atlanta's momentum is short-lived, as Giannis Antetounkoumpo and company crush them like bugs, 4-1.
(2) Brooklyn vs. (7) Indiana
Indiana fights harder than expected and manages to tie the series 2-2, but Kyrie Irving has a massive game 5 (43 points) and helps lead to a 4-2 win.
(3) Philadelphia vs. (6) Boston
Forget tough series -- this is an all-out war. Doc Rivers battles against his old team, and has an ace up his sleeve in the mammoth Joel Embiid whose size causes fits for the Celtics. With better shooting around him this time, it's enough to knock off the Celts, 4-3.
(4) Toronto vs. (5) Miami
Another great R1 series goes to the wire in Game 7. The Raptors' length bothers Jimmy Butler inside, but Miami's shooters provide enough of a pop to pull it out, 4-3.
ROUND TWO
(1) Milwaukee vs. (5) Miami
Milwaukee needs to exercise their demons from last year, facing the time that knocked them off. This time around, Giannis is fully healthy and paired with a big-time playoff competitor in Jrue Holiday, who helps provide the difference as the Bucks win 4-2. At this point, many analysts feel like this will be "Giannis' year."
(2) Brooklyn vs. (3) Philadelphia
In another high-profile clash, coaches Steve Nash and Doc Rivers receive a lot of spotlight for their star-studded teams. Unfortunately, Rivers has no answer in the bank for Kevin Durant, who averages 34.8 points en route to a 4-2 victory.
ROUND THREE
(1) Milwaukee vs. (2) Brooklyn
All year long, it looks like Milwaukee may have shaken off their playoff troubles and finally achieved their destiny. However, after a 2-1 lead, the tide starts to turn. Jarrett Allen and Kevin Durant's length helps limit Giannis to a mediocre series, allowing the Nets to rattle off 3 straight wins and make the Finals.

WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS

PLAY-IN GAMES
A play-in series between former teammates James Harden and Chris Paul favors CP3 and his supporting cast, as the Suns officially cement their playoff spot. While Steph Curry and the Warriors haven't had a strong year, they manage to steal game 1 from Portland thanks to 6 threes from Curry. However, Damian Lillard and the Blazers crank it up a notch and squeak by in Game 2 to advance.
(1) L.A. Clippers vs. (8) Phoenix
Chris Paul gives his former team fits, but ultimately the Clippers pull out a slugfest, 4-2.
(2) L.A. Lakers vs. (7) Portland
A rematch of last year's R1 series goes in a similar direction, as the Lakers crush the Blazers 4-1. Anthony Davis averages 31-15, causing many to cite him as a top 3 player overall and future MVP.
(3) Utah vs. (6) New Orleans
The surging New Orleans Pelicans are a trendy pick for an upset, but the Utah Jazz continue to play the role of sleeper well, utilizing their defense and Donovan Mitchell's scoring (29.3 per game) to a comfortable 4-2 victory.
(4) Denver vs. (5) Dallas
Luka Doncic goes bananas against a soft Denver defense, logging 37-14-8 in Game 1 and 42 points in Game 3. However, Denver manages to get the job done in a 4-3 series. After the series, talk swirls about whether the Mavericks may need a third star to take the next jump. Mark Cuban spends the offseason on rosetta stone learning Greek.
ROUND TWO
(1) L.A. Clippers vs. (4) Denver
Another rematch from last year, but one that doesn't lead to a repeat outcome. The Clippers are extremely motivated to put the Nuggets away when they have the chance, turning a 3-1 lead into a 4-1 victory this time.
(2) L.A. Lakers vs. (3) Utah
The plucky Utah Jazz give the favored Lakers everything they can handle and even take a 2-1 lead in the series. However, some big performances from LeBron James (and some questionable officiating) help the Lakers rally back to win three in a row and secure the ballyhooed showdown against the Clippers.
ROUND THREE
(1) L.A. Clippers vs. (2) L.A. Lakers
A must-see TV rematch between Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James comes down to the "Others," as new Clippers' SG Luke Kennard plays much better than Lakers' shooters KCP and Kyle Kuzma. When the dust settles, the Clippers pull it out 4-2. After the series, the Lakers cite a lingering wrist injury to Anthony Davis as a potential reason why they didn't look 100%.
NBA FINALS
(2) Brooklyn Nets vs. (1) L.A. Clippers
The NBA world misses out on a KD-LeBron series (or a Kyrie-LeBron series, depending on your perspective), but we still get an awesome matchup with other superstars like Durant and Kawhi Leonard. Leonard and Paul George bother KD to some degree, but the Nets' backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris keeps their offense moving nonetheless. Irving has a few signature games (37 in Game 2, 31-9 in Game 5) compared to a quieter Paul George (15.8 PPG in the series) and helps the BROOKLYN NETS win the NBA CHAMPIONSHIP in a 4-2 win. KD wins a close vote for Finals MVP, but Irving and coach Steve Nash get a lot of credit as well.

Will the Timberwolves win over 28 games this season?

Offseason Blueprint: the Charlotte Hornets don't need to blow it up, because the foundation is mostly rubble already

All across the NBA landscape, there's only one thing on people's mind: What are the Charlotte Hornets going to do this offseason??
Kidding, of course. However, the boycott/strike left us with no games today, and perhaps the chance to sneak in the second edition of the OFFSEASON BLUEPRINT series.
Here's a rundown and list of recommendations for the team this offseason.
step one: don't let your (semi) success get to your head
Coming into this season, expectations for the Charlotte Hornets were lower than a limbo bar. Kemba Walker had exited for greener pastures, and the team became a punchline when they ponied up $19M a year for Terry Rozier to replace him. Vegas set their oveunder at 23.5 wins, the lowest in the entire league.
Based on those expectations, coach James Borrego and the team massively overachieved early on in the year. They jumped out of the gates at 13-17, fueled by hot shooting from breakout Devonte' Graham. Eventually, Graham cooled off and the team did as well. Still, they'd end the year at a semi-respectable 23-42, nearly beating that preseason "over" despite a 65-game schedule.
If you're an optimist, you could say that this team isn't too far away from the playoffs. After all, Orlando grabbed the # 8 seed with a 33-40 record. Perhaps if the Hornets made a few tweaks here and there, they could get up to that 35-win range next year and contend for the 8th seed themselves.
Alas, I am no optimist. At least, not when it comes to these Charlotte Hornets. The team got off to a solid start, but all other metrics indicate a team that is B-A-D. Their point differential of -6.7 indicates a team that's even worse than their 23-42 record. In fact, that -6.7 is the 4th worst in the league. Their offense came in at 29th overall (out of 30). Even feel-good stories like Devonte' Graham didn't last forever. His shooting slowed down to the point where he finished the year with a below-average 53.7% true shooting percentage.
By any reasonable assessment, this team is a loooonggg way away from making the playoffs, and even further away from contending in a R1 series. Going into this offseason, the front office and ownership needs to realize that, and adjust their strategy accordingly.
step two: ignore your stars, and shoot for the moon instead
Let's ignore the astronomical problems with that statement and consider the subtext instead.
Perhaps more than any team in the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets need a marquee player. That goes for this roster, but also this franchise's player in history. Charlotte first got an expansion team in 1988 (as the "Hornets") and then again in 2004 (as the "Bobcats" to start.) If we include ALL of that history, dating back 30 seasons, the players with the most total win shares for the franchise are 1) Kemba Walker, 2) Gerald Wallace, and 3) Muggsy Bogues. Those are all good players, but not the type of superstar that'd inspire you to build a statue outside the stadium.
Fortunately, the basketball gods finally smiled upon them and landed them the # 3 pick this year. It's going to be a weak draft, but this will still be the team's best chance to land a superstar since they selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (over Bradley Beal) at # 2 back in 2012. Given this opportunity, and given their needs, the Hornets need to aim high here. Shoot for the moon. And in the process, they have to ignore their current roster completely. Top scorers Devonte' Graham and Terry Rozier are OK, but they're not the caliber of player that should force you to adjust your big board at all. The mandate should be simple: best. available. player. Guard, forward, center, it shouldn't matter. We need Michael Jordan to hit a home run here, although we know it's not his specialty.
I don't anticipate that Georgia SG Anthony Edwards will be available, but if he is, then the team should be excited to nab him. Edwards didn't shoot well as a freshman (40% from the field, 29% from three), but he's got the tools to be a potential All-Star. He's long (6'9" wingspan), strong, and hard to guard when he's attacking. I also like the idea of MJ mentoring Edwards and pushing him to get the most out of his talent. If he taps into his potential, we're talking about a Donovan Mitchell-esque player here.
A more polarizing selection that I'd still endorse would be Memphis C James Wiseman. I can understand the criticism against him. He can be passive at times. Perhaps he'll never be an elite scorer or even an All-Star. Still, I like Wiseman for a few reasons. He's 7'1" with a 7'5" wingspan, which should help make him an anchor on defense. He's also a smart kid (based on media interviews). Coach James Borrego came from the Spurs organization, which built around bigs like David Robinson and Tim Duncan originally. Perhaps he'd be more inclined to invest in a big man than other young coaches would. And while I cautioned against factoring in "fit," Wiseman and P.J. Washington would make for great complementary building blocks at the 4 and 5.
Personally, I'm mixed on the 3rd spot (which is where they land, unfortunately.) Draft Express lists PG LaMelo Ball as their # 1 prospect, while The Ringer has French PG Killian Hayes at the top of their board. Both have good size for the position, good passing instincts, and good experience overseas. I don't love the shooting of either one myself and worry about some possible inefficiency, but the Hornets would judge for themselves and select one if they're totally on board. Having two scoring guards like Graham and Rozier shouldn't factor into the equation.
Other names they should consider include PF/C Onyeka Okongwu (USC) and SF/PF Deni Avdija (Israel). I like a few other prospects in the class, but none of them would merit top 3 status. If I ran Charlotte, I wouldn't try to get cute about trade-ups or trade-downs either. The lottery was generous to you, so let's not look a gift horse in the mouth.
step three: don't be a waste of space
The Charlotte Hornets already have $79M committed in salary for next season, which sounds like "a lot" until you consider it's the third least in the NBA (behind Atlanta and Detroit.) Most teams are already booked up, with twenty different teams already having $100M on the docket.
With a little wiggle room (say $20M or so), the Hornets could potentially be players in free agency. This is not a strong free agency class, and the top names (like Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram) probably won't come calling.
Still, there are a few young veterans that may be worth pursuing. Sacramento SF Bogdan Bogdanovic is coming off a season where he averaged 18-4-4 per 36 minutes, and may have even more in the tank if he became more of a featured option. At 28 years old, he's probably in his prime already, but his skill set should age fairly well and he should maintain his value over the next 2-3 years. I also like Spurs' C Jakob Poeltl, a 24-year-old big man who's shown well in his limited playing time. He could potentially become a long-term starter on the right team. Sacramento C Harry Giles could also be a good flier.
Outside of a few select picks, the Hornets shouldn't force the issue and throw their money around willy-nilly (like they may have with Terry Rozier.) Someone needs to block DeMar DeRozan's number on Michael Jordan's phone.
That said, they can still use that cap space effectively. If we presume the Hornets aren't making the playoffs anyway, they may as well take a "toxic asset" off another team's hands, a la Sean Marks' Brooklyn Nets. Options could include Gorgui Dieng ($17M), James Johnson ($16M), Thaddeus Young ($13M + $14M), or Al-Farouq Aminu ($9M + $10M). If a team is willing to throw you a bone in terms of draft picks to take them off your hands, you may as well put the cap space to good use.
step four: hold your breath, and prepare to drown
Clearly, we haven't painted a rosy picture here. The team is unlikely to add top talent through free agency or trade, and even that top 3 lottery pick won't be a great player out of the gate. All in all, this is a bottom 10 team that will likely stay in the bottom 10 next year no matter how hard they try and fight it.
So if you're already sinking... why not drown completely? Yes, friends, we're talking about a full blown tank.
If the Hornets see the writing on the wall early next year, they need to commit fully and aggressively to a tank in 2020-21. I wouldn't normally recommend that tactic in today's day and age given the new flattened lottery odds, but this may be a "perfect storm" of events. The top 3 is ripe for the picking. Golden State won't be 15-50 next year. Minnesota (19-45) and Atlanta (20-47) should be better as well. The biggest threats would be Detroit (20-46) and the N.Y. Knicks (21-45), but both have older coaches that may not be keen on throwing a year of their coaching lives out the window.
Tanking makes logical sense for Charlotte, but they need some buy-in from the organization first. We'd have to convince Michael Jordan and the ownership group that it's in the team's long-term interest. They seem committed to "compete," but squeaking out a bunch of 30-win seasons over the next few years may be a great way to lose the entire franchise to relocation. Taking a short-term fall could land a star, and lead to a brighter future down the road.
We'd also need the ownership to give the greenlight to the front office and coaching staff as well. James Borrego will be entering Year 3 with the team, and will be nervous about his job security. Mitch Kupchak will be as well in the front office. For them to embrace a tank, they'd need some assurance that they're in this for the long haul. Personally, I like Borrego as a coach, so I'd try my best to commit to him and this long-term plan.
If the team can get on the same page and follow through, then there may be gold at the end of the rainbow. Next year's class appears (at the moment, anyway) to be a strong group, highlighted by playmaking wing Cade Cunningham (heading to Oklahoma State) and scoring guard Jalen Green (heading to the G-League.) PF Evan Mobley (USC), SF Jalen Johnson (Duke), and SF Ziaire Williaims (Stanford) also have the potential to join the # 1 pick conversation in time. And while those flattened odds make it difficult to ensure the # 1 pick, grabbing the # 1 spot means that you can only drop as low as # 5. That 5th pick next year may be even better than the # 3 this season.
other offseason blueprints
ATL, BKN, BOS, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, HOU, IND, GS, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, MIN, NO, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHX, POR, SA, SAC, TOR, UTA, WAS

[OC] Other "Coach of the Year" ballots may have more legitimacy or accuracy, but this is the only one that ranks the candidates from # 1 all the way to # 30

The NBA league office announced that all awards will be officially based on play PRIOR to the bubble. With that, the cases are locked, the campaigns are closed, and the voting will begin.
Rather than give a traditional "Coach of the Year" ballot that ranks from 1-3, I thought it may be an interesting (and indulgent) exercise to go all the way from 1-30.
Some caveats:
--- We're ranking coaches based on their performance THIS SEASON only. Obviously, Billy Donovan isn't as good of a coach as Gregg Popovich. However, if you were only ranking their "Coach of the Year" candidacy for this particular season, Donovan has a better campaign argument.
--- Since I don't watch every game for every team, I'm going to have to resort to a bigger picture analysis. If you're a diehard fan of your team who watches every game, you'd have a lot better insight into a coach's game management and situational adjustments. Let us know how you feel about that -- is your coach underrated? Overrated?
--- Personally, I'm going to rank coaches that started the year (as opposed to interim replacements.) That’s important to mention off the bat, because it applies right away —

the complete COACH OF THE YEAR Ballot

(30) David Fizdale, N.Y. Knicks: 4-18 record
David Fizdale became a head coach with so much fanfare and media approval that his fall from grace has been more dramatic than Icarus. This year, he got fired 22 games into his second season on the job. Amazingly, this isn't the first time that's happened to him. Back in Memphis, he also got fired 19 games into his second season on the job.
We don't know exactly what goes on behind the scenes, but it can't be good. Do you know how bad things must be going to get fired 20 games into a season? That's like being halfway through sex with someone and saying: ya know, I think I need to leave... Something seriously FUNKY must have going on in there. Raging herpes. Oozing puss. Rotten vagina.
I don't want to call David Fizdale the rotten vagina of coaches, but his tenure with the Knicks did smell pretty funky. The team (right or wrong) signed a bunch of veterans with the intention to strive for the 8th seed, but they flopped. Ultimately, the real goal was giving their young prospects an environment to grow, but that didn't happen either. Dennis Smith and Kevin Knox are somehow getting worse and worse.
The Knicks did a full house cleaning, but it may be some time before the smell is out of the building.
(29) John Beilein, Cleveland: 14-40 record
If you think it's difficult to get fired 20 games into a season, imagine getting fired halfway through your first year on the job right after you've signed a lucrative FIVE-YEAR contract.
With John Beilein, we know more clearly what went wrong. In hindsight, it was a mistake to think that the 67-year-old Beilein could make the transition to the NBA after a lifetime in college. He simply didn't mesh with the "thugs/slugs" in the NBA, causing the Cavs to pull the plug before a full-out mutiny.
Given this disaster, how can we rank Beilein higher than Fizdale? We're splitting hairs, but there are a few more positives. Beilein's Cavs had a better record than Fizdale's Knicks despite lower expectations (based on oveunder.) Beilein also "resigned," meaning the decision to part was at least somewhat mutual. He realized the error of his ways, and handed things over to an experienced assistant in J.B. Bickerstaff. As embarrassing and costly as the Beilein era may have been, it's hard to see much long-term damage for the franchise.
(28) Scottie Brooks, Washington: 24-40 record
With John Wall injured, the Washington Wizards would have a hard time competing for the playoffs. Still, Scottie Brooks didn't help matters. The team ranked dead last in defensive rating by a good margin, indicating some serious issues with the system and the effort level. Even Bradley Beal looked disengaged on that end, ranking as one of the worst defenders in the league.
More than anything, Brooks' crime is a slow adjustment to that problem. Despite their defensive issues, he continued to start league LVP Isaiah Thomas for 37 games. Brooks seems like a likable guy, but his slow trigger has defined and tarnished his coaching career so far.
(27) Jim Boylen, Chicago: 22-43 record
Even his defenders would say Jim Boylen is about as cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel. His players' support for him ranges behind tepid indifference and downright annoyance. Still, sometimes it takes a Grinch to get young players locked in on defense. To his credit, Boylen did improve the Bulls on that end. Their defensive rating leapt up from 25th to 14th this season.
But at the end of the day, the overall results simply aren't here. Despite offensive-minded youngsters like Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen (marginalized this year), the Bulls ranked 27th in offensive rating. Largely as a result, they were on pace to win 27.7 games, well short of their 33.5 oveunder. Being "likable" and being "successful" don't go hand in hand, but NBA coaches need to check 1 of those 2 boxes to survive. So far, Boylen has gone 0 for 2.
(26) Lloyd Pierce, Atlanta: 20-47 record
The Atlanta Hawks hired Lloyd Pierce on the basis of his defensive reputation, but we've seen little evidence of that on the court so far. In his first year on the job, the Hawks ranked 27th in defensive rating. After a full year of training and development in his system, they climbed all the way up to... 28th. Through it all, franchise player Trae Young looks completely lost, grading as a worse defender than our LVP Isaiah Thomas.
There's not much evidence that Pierce is a BAD coach, but there's not much evidence that he's going to be able to cure what ails them either. He'll probably get another season or two on the job from the patient franchise, but he needs to make some improvements eventually. Young is an albatross on defense, sure, but one little guard shouldn't be enough to sink you like this. (For evidence, consider Boston ranked 4th in defense during lil' Isaiah Thomas' near-MVP season.)
(25) Kenny Atkinson, Brooklyn: 28-34 record
Our third coach who got fired midseason actually ranks higher than others. On the court, it's hard to find much fault in Kenny Atkinson's performance. Despite having two max players on the shelf, he still had his Nets in the playoff race. They weren't any great shakes, but they were competitive.
However, we have to acknowledge that the job of an NBA coach goes beyond offensive and defensive ratings. It's also about managing a locker room, and managing egos. The Nets had built a good culture before this, but that culture presumably got rocked by the arrival of their new stars. It's up to Atkinson to bridge that gap, and instead it swallowed him whole.
(24) Ryan Saunders, Minnesota: 19-45 record
The Minnesota Timberwolves will fall well short of their preseason expectations (35.5 oveunder), and will continue to waste Karl-Anthony Towns' historically good offensive talent. It's still unclear if young pup Ryan Saunders should have been handed this job at such a young age; he hasn't proven that he deserves it yet.
If there's any consolation, it's that Saunders appears in lock step with executive Gersson Rosas in terms of preferred playing style. Rosas came over from Houston with a desire to create more of a Morey-Ball approach. Saunders is doing his part, cranking up the gas to keep the team 3rd in pace, 3rd in three-point attempts, 3rd in free-throw attempts. The results don't match up yet, but at least they're on the same page. For now. Time will tell whether a new ownership group will come in and rip up that playbook.
(23) Gregg Popovich, San Antonio: 27-36 record
I imagine this low ranking will be among the least popular picks on the board. After all, Gregg Popovich is a legend. Even at this age, he's still a top 10 coach overall.
That said, legends aren't bullet proof or immune from criticism. Popovich needs to take some blame for an underwhelming year in San Antonio. The unconventional mid-range offense actually works better than you'd expect (11th in rating), but the problems come on the other end. The Spurs have struggled mightily on D this year, ranking all the way down at 25th. The rotations have been an issue there, with too much Bryn Forbes and Marco Bellinelli and probably too little Jakob Poeltl.
It still may feel weird to rank Pop in the bottom half for his performance this year, but I'd ask you: if this team was coached by a random dude named "Joe Schmo," where would you put him?
(22) Brett Brown, Philadelphia: 39-26 record
This hasn't been a banner year for Gregg Popovich, and it hasn't been a banner year for his protege Brett Brown either. The Sixers made some head-scratching decisions this offseason. They grabbed the biggest pieces they could find, and jammed them together without much regard for "fit." Still, there's a lot of talent here. There's enough talent to justify their 54.5 preseason oveunder, and there's enough talent to compete with everyone in the East (outside of Milwaukee, perhaps.)
Instead, the Sixers stumbled along on a 49-win pace, on track for the 6th seed. If this was a normal year without the COVID-bubble, then that would be a much bigger problem. The team is starting to make some adjustments and add more shooters like Shake Milton into the lineup, but it may be too little, too late.
(21) Dwane Casey, Detroit: 20-46 record
It's hard to judge veteran Dwane Casey either way based on the returns this season so far. The Pistons will fall well short of preseason expectations (37.5 oveunder), but there are obvious reasons why. Star Blake Griffin got injured again, and pseudo-star Andre Drummond got traded away.
To Dwane Casey's credit, he's tried to make a meal with the leftovers in the cupboard. Derrick Rose continues to be a fan favorite (if not an analytical darling), and PF Christian Wood appears to be a breakout success. Overall, there's no real identity or grand plan in place here, but perhaps that will change if the lottery balls go their way.
(20) Terry Stotts, Portland: 29-37 record
Terry Stotts and Dwane Casey may have a few beers after the season and commiserate together about their challenges this year. Like Casey, Stotts has been overwhelmed by injuries -- to Jusuf Nurkic -- to Zach Collins -- to Rodney Hood -- to Trevor Ariza -- etc. All this from a team that didn't have much depth to start.
Stotts and the Blazers drew a stroke of good luck with this bubble format. They'll be in the 9th spot right now, and well within range to sneak into the playoffs. If it wasn't for that, Stotts may be drawing more fire. The team's defense has slipped to 27th overall, which is hard to excuse no matter what roster problems you have. Stotts is a good and respected coach in general, but there's a chance his message may have run stale here. If they bomb out in the bubble, I wouldn't be surprised if they look for a fresh voice like assistant Nate Tibbetts for next year.
(19) Luke Walton, Sacramento: 28-36 record
Luke Walton and the Kings got off to a disastrous start given their expectations. It's never a good sign when your fanbase grumbles, he's no Dave Joerger.
But after weathering the storm, there are some signs of hope on the horizon. A bold decision to bring Buddy Hield off the bench has worked out, with the team rattling off a 13-7 stretch before the shutdown. They had a slim chance to rally and make the playoffs if we played a full schedule, and they'll have some chance to do the same in the bubble. Overall, a disappointing start for Walton, but not a complete disaster.
(18) James Borrego, Charlotte: 23-42 record
It's very difficult to judge James Borrego, because it's difficult to judge exactly what was going on in the twisted minds of the Charlotte front office. On paper, Borrego did an admirable job to take a bad roster and lead them to a decent mark of 23 wins. In fact, their oveunder coming into this year was only 23.5 over a full 82 games (lowest in the NBA). P.J. Washington's had a nice rookie year, and PG Devonte' Graham has been better than expected (although he's cooled off.)
At the same time, is this what the Hornets wanted? A "not THAT bad" team? As a result, they'll end up in the 8th slot prior to the NBA Draft lottery, in that dreaded middle ground. In a sense, Borrego did too good of a job squeezing out a few extra wins. I'm inclined to give him props for that because the franchise must have given him a mandate to compete (why else sign Terry Rozier to a big contract?). As a franchise, the team gets poor grades, but as a coach, it's hard to fault him here.
(17) Alvin Gentry, New Orleans: 28-36 record
James Borrego hasn't had much talent to work with in Charlotte. Down in Nawlins, Alvin Gentry may have too much. Earlier in the season, he appeared overwhelmed by all the pieces on the roster and struggled to develop a consistent rotation for the team. If it wasn't for Brandon Ingram's breakout, the Pelicans could have been in too deep of a whole to dig their way out.
Of course, some stocky rookie waddled in, and looked pretty darn good. Zion Williamson gives this team an entirely new ceiling, and has been worked into the lineup in a smart, prudent fashion. For that, Gentry deserves credit. He also deserves credit for having a consistent philosophy. His team is going to run, run, run like Forrest Gump. They've finished in the top 3 in pace each season for the past three years. It hasn't worked like a charm overall, as Gentry will be on track to finish with a losing record for the 4th time in his 5 years, but perhaps they'll finally hit their stride in the bubble.
(16) Steve Clifford, Orlando: 30-35 record
By this point, what you see is what you get with coach Steve Clifford. We've come to expect a top 10 defense (# 9 this year), but a record around the .500 mark. In his defense, the offensive talent is limited, and Jon Isaac (arguably their best overall player) missed significant time. Still, for Clifford to jump in these yearly rankings, we need to see more of an offensive system in place.
(15) Steve Kerr, Golden State: 15-50 record
WTF? Why is the coach with the worst record in the league doing all the way up here?
Allow me to explain. Being a head coach is like being a jockey. You need to know when to trot, when to stay with the pack, and when to crack the whip and turn up the gas down the stretch. And, sadly, you need to know when your horse is lame and needs to be shot and put out of its misery.
Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors realized they had a wobbly, broken-down horse early on, and put the breaks on sooner than later. As a result, they'll be locked into the # 1 spot among their NBA lottery odds. In theory that doesn't matter much because the top three teams (GS, CLE, MIN) all have the same odds at # 1 overall. However, if they slide down, Golden State will remain ahead of the others; the worst pick they can get is # 5. That type of patience is rare and admirable for a veteran coach like Kerr; after years of being in "win now" mode, he's showing a long-term vision as well.
(14) Nate McMillan, Indiana: 39-26 record
The Indiana Pacers continued to chug along with another playoff appearance despite Victor Oladipo missing more time. Coach Nate McMillan (and assistant Dan Burke) deserve a lot of credit for their strength defensively; they finished in the top 10 in defense for the second season in a row. Their scheme works well, and covers for some limited players along the way.
If there's any criticism of McMillan, it'd be on the offensive end. The Pacers found a little something with Domatas Sabonis as a playmaker (5.0 assists per game), but it's still not enough to make the team formidable offensively. Their "MoreyBall" rating is the worst in the league -- they finished last in both free-throw attempts and three-point attempts. Some teams can overcome that playing style, but the Pacers haven't been one of them; their offensive rating is # 18 for the second straight year. Given that need, I'd be curious to see if the team could develop Doug McDermott into a Bojan Bogdanovic - type player for them -- he hit 44.5% of his threes, but got only 20.0 minutes a game.
(13) Monty Williams, Phoenix: 26-39 record
This ranking may seem too high for the coach of a 26-39 team, but we need to consider some context here. The Phoenix Suns had finished with an average record of 20-62 over the last two seasons, so this 33-win pace is a marked step up for them. They've also gotten into the top 20 in offensive and defensive rating. That may sound like mediocrity to you, but again it's a big jump up from the previous year (28th offensive, 29th defense.)
Better still, we're seeing some strong player development from this club. Deandre Ayton still looked strong post PED suspension, and Mikal Bridges played well in the second half of the year. After all the mess and goat stink in Phoenix, there are actual good vibes here, and Monty Williams deserves credit for that.
(12) Quin Snyder, Utah: 41-23 record
Quin Snyder is an awesome coach, only penalized here by his own lofty expectations. Coming into the season, a few pundits though the Jazz may have what it took to be the top seed in the West, but they're going to fall short of that and even fall short of their preseason oveunder (of 53.5 wins). Of course, it didn't help that Mike Conley forgot how to shoot for the few month or two of the season. Still, Snyder's bunch continues to be well coached on both ends, with ball movement on offense and discipline on defense. They'd have been an interesting playoff darkhorse if not for the bad corona-vibes and the unfortunate Bojan Bogdanovic injury.
(11) Mike Malone, Denver: 43-22 record
Denver's Mike Malone is in the same boat as Quin Snyder; he did a good job, but he's expected to do a good job. I'm going to rank him slightly higher because the Nuggets were slightly ahead, and were also set to slightly exceed their preseason win total (on track to win 54, 1 game better than their 53.0 estimate.)
Going forward, it'll be interesting to see if Malone can take his offense up a notch. They play at a very slow pace (29th) and don't shoot many threes (26th). To actually win the title, their shooters will need to step it up. If Gary Harris won't break out of his prolonged slump, then it's imperative that Michael Porter Jr. fulfills his potential and provides that third scoring punch.
(10) Doc Rivers, L.A. Clippers: 44-20 record
Stars and shooting aren't a problem for the Los Angeles Clippers. It's fair to say they're the most talented roster in the entire NBA. Given that, is their 44-20 record a disappointment? Eh. Maybe. But I'd counter that it doesn't really matter. Doc Rivers' primary mission this regular season was to make it to the playoffs healthy, and the team appears on track to do just that.
If there's any criticism here (of a team with a top 5 offense and defense) it's that their best players may not have gotten enough reps together. Do the new kids on the block Kawhi Leonard and Paul George fit with the old guard in Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell? What's the best starting lineup? Best closing lineup? There are still some unanswered questions here that need to be addressed in a hurry if they're going to fulfill their title aspirations in the bubble.
(9) Taylor Jenkins, Memphis: 32-33 record
Personally, I expected the Memphis Grizzlies to have the worst in the Western Conference, so it's downright shocking that they're in the 8th spot at the moment. The NBA may be trying to steal that playoff berth away from them, but that won't change the great job that rookie coach Taylor Jenkins has done this year.
Are the Grizzlies actually this good? Probably not. Their advanced stats are worse than their record, and Jaren Jackson Jr. hasn't taken the expected leap on defense yet. Still, wins are wins, and a coach shouldn't be penalized for collecting more than he should.
(8) Mike D'Antoni, Houston: 40-24 record
Based on the simple matter of wins versus preseason expectations (and an oveunder of 54.0), the Houston Rockets have been slightly underwhelming this year. Still, veteran Mike D'Antoni deserves a lot of credit for remaking the team on the fly. Changing from Chris Paul to Russell Westbrook may not be a huge difference in quality, but it's a huge difference in playing style. As a result, the Rockets leapt up from the 26th fastest pace last year all the way up to 4th this season. They'll looking like a proper D'Antoni and Morey team right now.
In fact, they've taken that bold experiment up another notch this year by ditching Clint Capela and emulating Rick Moranis. So far, so good. These Smallball Rockets still have some lingering question marks about their defense and their rebounding, but they're extremely dangerous right now nonetheless. It's hard to imagine too many older coaches understanding and embracing this like D'Antoni has.
(7) Brad Stevens, Boston: 43-21 record
Brad Stevens has always been a media darling, and he's justifying that reputation this year. The Celtics lost Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, but are still top 5 in offense and top 5 in defense. Life without Kyrie has gone swimmingly, opening up some air for young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to breathe; they're both in the running for Most Improved Player.
As with Mike D'Antoni, Stevens also deserves credit for working with a limited hand at center. But rather than force the issue and overplay some stiffs, he's understood that the team just may be better off with 6'8" Daniel Theis manning the fort instead.
(6) Frank Vogel, L.A. Lakers: 49-14 record
It's never a good sign when you sign a new contract with a team, and are immediately placed among the favorites for "First Coach Fired" in Vegas. Frank Vogel walked that tightrope this season, with plenty of spectators expecting him to fail and fall to his demise.
Instead, Vogel has kept his head down, and kept his focus, and helped this Lakers team grab the # 1 seed out West. Obviously it's an easier task when you have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but this isn't a loaded roster otherwise. Moreover, there are a lot of moving parts and new pieces to work in. The fact that Vogel has this largely-old team ranked # 3 in defensive rating is a true testament to his success this year.
(5) Mike Budenholzer, Milwaukee: 53-12 record
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo is on track to win his second consecutive MVP award. While we tend to think the media likes new "narratives," but we've seen repeat winners before. Since 2000, Tim Duncan repeated as MVP, Steve Nash repeated as MVP, LeBron James repeated as MVP (on two separate occasions), and Steph Curry repeated as MVP as well.
Coaches don't get the same luxury. In fact, since the award was created in 1962, the Coach of the Year winner has NEVER repeated the following season. You win once, you get to the back of the line. That tendency has really hurt Mike Budenholzer's candidacy this year. On paper, he should absolutely be in the running. The Bucks are once again # 1 in defense, # 1 in overall rating, # 1 in W-L record. They're on a better pace than last year's team, despite losing Malcolm Brogdon over the summer. If Giannis can repeat for the same feat twice, why shouldn't Budenholzer be allowed to do the same?
(4) Rick Carlisle, Dallas: 40-27 record
Everyone expected the Milwaukee Bucks to be dominant, but no one expected the Dallas Mavericks to be this good, this early. They've jumped the line and arrived in the playoffs earlier than schedule. They're only 1 win away from beating their preseason oveunder of 40.5 despite all the missed games.
Like Mike Budenholzer, Rick Carlisle has benefited in that endeavor from a transcendent player in Luka Doncic. At the same time, this Mavs' machine has been rolling with and without Doncic. They rank # 1 in offensive efficiency this year, and depending on whether you want to factor in pace and league trends or not, they may have one of the best offenses we've ever seen from a statistical standpoint. It's quite an achievement from a coach who cut his stripes as a defensive specialist, and indicates the type of attitude that coaches need to adapt and evolve over time.
(3) Erik Spoelstra, Miami: 41-24 record
The Miami Heat pulled a free agency coup by signing Jimmy Butler away from Philadelphia. Still, it's not like people expected that to vault them to the top of the East. Butler was a good player, but a difficult one to manage. He blended into the crowd as well as a skinhead at a Bar Mitzvah. Overall, adding Butler only boosted the team's preseason oveunder win total to a modest 43.5.
Turns out, Butler fit in better with the Heat than anyone expected, on and off the court. Butler hasn't shot well from the field, but his attacking and playmaking helped open up the offense (6th in the league) and propelled the team to a 51.7-win pace. He's fit in like a glove in terms of their tough-dude culture as well.
Erik Spoelstra should get huge props for developing that culture and that system. But more than anything, he deserves credit for their player development system. Sure, Jimmy Butler is a star, and Bam Adebayo had star talent. At the same time, no one had ever heard of players like Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson at this time last year. These are complete randos who will make a combined $3M this season -- just half of Cristiano Felicio's salary. Having a coach who can grow talent like that in his backyard is a huge advantage for any franchise.
(2) Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City: 41-24 record
After Oklahoma City blew it up this summer by trading Russell Westbrook and Paul George, coach Billy Donovan felt like a dead man walking. Instead, Donovan and those fireproof zombie hordes in OKC sieged to a 41-24 record. How good is that? Hell, it's an even better winning percentage than the team had last year with Westbrook and George (in a career year.)
Given all this surprising success, Donovan would be a fair winner of this award. He's managed to take in a bunch of new bodies and form a cohesive team. He's even had success playing three point guards together (CP3, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schroder.)
If you want to nitpick his candidacy, you could point out that the hodgepodge roster has a lot of talent scattered throughout. Chris Paul had become underrated, and Danilo Gallinari has always been underrated as well. The team's low preseason oveunder total (32.5) was largely based on the uncertainty about further trades. Everyone knew that this team had the talent to be competitive if they stayed together. Still, no one expected them to be this good.
(1) Nick Nurse, Toronto: 46-18 record
Last season, Nick Nurse finally got his first chance as an NBA head coach. He ended up having as good of a rookie year as anyone since Henry Rowengartner. Nurse coached circles around some of the best in the business en route to a championship season.
Amazingly, he may have been even more impressive this year. Without Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, the Toronto Raptors held steady and didn't miss much of a beat. In fact, they're on pace to win 58.9 games, over a dozen more than their preseason oveunder of 46.5.
Technically, Nurse still has limited experience as an NBA head coach, but he's already proven to be one of the masters. If we were to judge based on the results of this (semi-)season only, he'd be my personal "Coach of the Year."

DFSForecast - Predicting the Top Stack for Week 7

Hello everyone!
DFSForecast here to discuss my favorite Week 7 stacks. For those that don't know us, I coded an optimizer specifically to take down large tournaments a few years ago - it's since won me a Milly Maker, multiple NBA tournaments, and most recently an NFL $100k prize in Week1 this year. The lineup generator and my projections are available on our website for free all season long!
In this post I introduce a new way I look at top stacks, which is in a probabilistic manner. I do my analysis by using a few different metrics that show the likelihood that a specific team will be the best stack of the week. By knowing which team is most likely to be the best stack, it makes it easier to set QB exposures and to narrow down your player pool. I explain all this in-depth below, and then talk about some of my favorite lower-owned stacks. Feel free to just skip to the bottom if you don't want any of the context!
Before we get into top stacks, I want to give a shoutout to DFSForecast user HOGGZ1LLA who took 3rd in the Week 6 DK Milly Maker - good for $100k!!
Here's his lineup - some quick notes:

HOGGZ1LLA was sitting in first place for over three hours - it wasn't until the final RoJones touchdown that he got knocked down to 3rd.
He stacked the Vikings/Falcons game with Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, and Julio who all had massive weeks and correlated well with each other - very smart lineup construction.
The low-owned plays that separated him from the rest of the field were De'Andre Swift and Anthony Firkser who were both projected as high-value punt plays. I make the projections for the site, so naturally I'm high on a lot of the site's top-plays - I just couldn't stomach rostering a backup tight end in Firkser, but I'm so happy it paid off for HOGGZ1LLA! I loved Swift as a GPP play - the Lions were favorites in a high OU game and I was below the field on the Lions passing game, so it made sense to attack their run game.
This is the first 6-figure lineup made by a DFSForecast user (other than myself) that we know of, so we're very very excited!

Congrats again, HOGGZ1LLA!!
Principles of Stacking
As most of you are aware, stacking your QB with a skill player is extremely important if you want to take down a large tournament

It's important to have one of the best QBs on the slate, as the opportunity cost of selecting the wrong QB is extremely high since you can only choose one. It's less important for, say, WRs where you can choose up to 4 so it's OK to get one wrong - the week 6 DK Milly Maker winner only got 6.2 points from Valdez-Scantling.
If you know you need a top QB to take down a large GPP, then you want to pair him with the WTE/RB that will be catching his passes to maximize correlation. Every Milly Maker winner has stacked their QB with at least one skill position, and I believe 6 of the 7 weeks (on DK) they've stacked with 2 flex plays.
My rule of thumb is to only consider QBs who I think either have the possibility to get over 30 DK points, or have the possibility of being top 2 in value. From there, I mostly look at each team's Vegas odds to see which teams and games are going to be high scoring, and think about the paths to scoring those points (running game vs passing game).
Personally I love home underdogs in high OU games. In these games, the QB will likely be playing from behind which means they'll be throwing a lot, and by playing at home they won't have to battle with crowd noises (artificial or real) and they're just more comfortable overall.

Definitions
The following tables show the likelihood (from 1000 simulations) that each team will be the top stack according to three different metrics:

isTopTotal shows the likelihood that the given team will have the highest point total from its QB + highest RB/WTE
isTopValue shows the likelihood that the given team will have the highest combined value from their QB and RB/WTE.
isTopGPPValue is what I consider to be the most meaningful metric - think of it as "the likelihood this team's stack will be in the winning Milly Maker lineup". I use a special calculation that blends highest points and highest value.
ProjOwn shows the projected ownership for only the QB, it does not include the RB/WTE's ownership.

Week7 Top Stacks:

DraftKings Top Stacks

FanDuel Top Stacks

Reading the Tables

I don't have any hard-and-fast rules with these tables, I think all the information needs to be analyzed together. In general, you want to choose the team that has the highest chance of success, while keeping in mind that lower ownership is better.
I typically will pick choose QBs for teams that are among the top 7 in GPPValue. I also will make sure to have any team that are top3 in TotalPoints or TotalValue. E.g. the Bengals are only the 16th most likely team to have the "best" stack according to GPPValue, but they're the 2nd most likely to have the top value (since Burrow and the pass catchers are so cheap). I'll for sure have decent ownership to Burrow this week.
As I mentioned earlier, it's very important to keep Vegas Odds in mind. I wouldn't want to have high ownership to a QB if the team was projected to score only 20 points, even if they had the highest projected odds of being the best stack.
I need to nerf RBs a bit in this calculation - as you can see this week, Saints are projected to be one of the top stacks largely due to Kamara. I don't plan on having Brees as my second highest own QB.
Keep ownership in consideration. The winner typically has 4-6 players under 10% and 2-4 players under 5% - QB ownership is pretty flat, so you can usually find a play that projects well with low ownership.

Favorite Lower-Owned Stacks
I don't finalize my QB exposure (and thus stack percentages) until Sunday morning, but here are a few lower-owned stacks that stick out to me:
1) Josh Allen + Stefon Diggs. Diggs is 3rd in the league in yards, 4th in redzone targets, 3rd in total DK points, 5th in total Air Yards, is playing a historically bad Jets defense, and is still somehow not top 6 in salary on either site. He's relatively low owned on DK too. I can see a 10/120/1 game from Diggs with a modest passing game from JA, that includes a 50+ yard rushing day and a score. Gabriel Davis is another decent punt play from the Bills now that Knox is out. I (naturally) don't love any Jets player, but would consider running it back with Perriman - he saw 8 targets last week after missing a couple games. He had a bad game in week 1 against the Bills, but shutdown corner Tre'Davious White might be out.
2) Justin Herbert + Keenan Allen. I love KA this week, if he can stay on the field I think he's a lock for 10+ targets easy. The Jaguars defense has been a mess this season, and they'll be without D.J. Hayden which will make it even easier for him to get open. He's averaging 9.3 receptions, 96 yards, and 22 DK Points per game in the 3 full games he's played with Herbert. Herbert will miss some throws and will likely have a bad pick, but he also has a very good chance of eclipsing 300 yards passing, and he can get it done on the ground as well. Hunter Henry and Mike Williams are also solid cheap plays, but I might like them more on FanDuel where touchdowns are relatively more valuable. I'm not too interested in Jags players this week, but I can't stop myself from playing a few Shenault lineups every week.
3) Joe Burrow + anyone. The OU for this game is over 50, Burrow is playing at home as the underdog, his ownership is projected to be under 5%, and all of his offensive weapons are $5400 or under making it a great value stack. There are a lot of opportunities to game stack here - Vegas thinks that the Browns will be winning, so I like stacking two of Boyd/Higgins/Green/Gio here with Burrow assuming they'll be playing from behind, and then running it back with Hunt assuming the Browns will be running the ball with the lead. I have the Browns as the 5th worst defense against the pass, and the Bengals as the worst defense against the run.
I'll have healthy exposure to Packers/Cardinals/Texans/Seahawks/Chiefs as well.
Beware of Drew Brees here despite what the projections show - it's just hard to trust him anymore, and the Saints' high odds of being the top stack are mostly due to Kamara projecting off the charts. There's nothing more tilting than Brees getting fantasy points stolen by Taysom Hill. I do think that running Kamara + Cook (or a cheap WR) in the same lineup isn't a terrible idea. The combined salary is low enough where they can definitely both hit GPP Value considering the Saints are implied to score nearly 30.
I really hope this helps you build your lineups, and gives you some thoughts on how to attack this week. Question for you all, would you enjoy seeing something like this (but more "formal") on our website? We could make it so the tables would update with the rest of the projections, you could sort by different columns, you could include/exclude certain positions, you could look at 2-flex stacks, etc. etc.? It's taken a lot of work to build this stochastic model, so I'd love to show it off if there's interest!
Thanks for taking the time to read this! Don't hesitate to ask me any questions about the site or this week specifically, and let me know if you ever have a big week - we love knowing that our lineup generator is successful for others!
Good luck everyone,
DFSForecast

DraftKings Milly Maker Report: 2020 Third Quarter Rewind

DraftKings Milly Maker Report: Weeks 13-15

NBA DFS Picks and Pivots: Opening Night 2020-2021

DraftKings Milly Maker Report: Week 13 in Review

Greatest Male Players in Challenge History: No. 1 - Landon Lueck

Honorable Mentions - Abram, Brad, Dan S., Jamie, Mike M., Theo V., Turbo, Wes
No. 10 - Alton Williams (Real World: Las Vegas)
No. 9 - Mark Long (Road Rules: USA - The First Adventure)
No. 8 - Darrell Taylor (Road Rules: Campus Crawl)
No. 7 - Derrick Kosinski (Road Rules: X-Treme)
No. 6 - Kenny Santucci (Fresh Meat)
No. 5 - Evan Starkman (Fresh Meat)
No. 4 - C.T. Tamburello (Real World: Paris)
No. 3 - Jordan Wiseley (Real World: Portland)
No. 2 - Johnny Bananas (Real World: Key West)
No. 1 - Landon Lueck (Real World: Philadelphia)

Good Guy Landon has one of the greatest rookie campaigns ever on Inferno II.

Despite being the only male rookie on his team, Landon went on to outperform everyone on his team. Landon lead the Good Guys in four life shields, Mike came in 2nd with three, and Darrell came in third place by winning one. The four life shields Landon won tested upper body strength (Zip Up), mental strength (Heart Rate Bungee), and other various skills (Time to Ride and Dodge Yer Balls). Good Guy Landon not only excelled in missions. Landon went 2-0 in the elimination floor (won against Karamo in a physical-strategy game and beat Dan in a climbing contest where players had to use pegs to climb up a wall). From a pure competition standpoint, I’d say Landon was the second best performer out of both teams, coming in second (C.T. won 6 life shields for the Bad Asses, two more than Landon). However, in the end, CT’s team didn’t win and Landon’s did, so you can always make the argument that Landon was the MVP of the championship team, therefore the number one performer when taking the ultimate victory into account.

Landon’s Zip Up (Inferno II) is one of the greatest mission performances of all-time.

In Zip Up, there were two identical zip lines high in the air (one for each team). Once at a time, players from both teams were suspended from these zip lines and below them were travel lines they had to use to pull themselves up. The goal of the mission was to travel as far as you can in a 2 minute time limit. The travel line was on a steady incline making it difficult to travel the higher you’d go. On the travel line, there were meter markers attached to the lines to indicate how far each player traveled. At the end, the team with the highest cumulative distance reached would win the mission. Zip Up was a test of pure upper body strength and muscular endurance. There were eight heats.

The Good Guys trailed for almost the whole competition and right before the final heat, they finally caught up and evened the score with the Bad Asses. The outcome of the mission was going to be determined by the final match-up. The last Good Guys player to go was Landon, and C.T. was the last player to represent the Bad Asses. The responsibility to win now laid in the hands of the best players on each team. It couldn’t get more epic than that. Up until to that point, here were the meters traveled by the rest of the competitive field: Mike Mizanin – 17 meters, Abram – 20, Darrell – 20, Derrick – 26, and Brad – 28 m. In the final heat, C.T. reached 26 meters and Landon got to a staggering 33 meters. Not only did Landon’s clutch performance win Zip Up for the Good Guys team, but he blew the physical brute C.T. out the water in a mission that was catered to C.T.’s physical strength. Landon doubled Mike’s distance, who was one of the strongest guys during this period of time. Landon might’ve not been built with humongous size like C.T. or Mike, but his strength and physical endurance was out of this world, and Zip Up confirms that.

Landon became the General to Captain Alton on Gauntlet II.

In Landon’s sophomore season, he was cast on the Rookies, where he became the second best player on the team after Captain Alton. Every time teams had to come up with pairs for missions (Balancing Act and Easy Does It), Alton paired up with Landon and those two put up the best time/score becoming the sole reason the Rookies won that mission.

In Balancing Act, pairs had to walk across parallel tight ropes while facing one another using a small rope to help them control their balance. Twelve pairs competed. Eleven of them failed miserably. The only pair to complete the challenge were Alton and Landon giving the Rookies the win.

In Easy Does It, pairs had to climb up a rope ladder and transfer themselves across a tilting platform under a certain time limit. Alton and Landon were one of only four pairs (the other six failed) to complete the mission and they did it the fastest. The Rookies won again.

Alton recognized that other than him, Landon was the best athlete on his team which is why he was always pairing with him in missions and calling him “General Landon” all season long. Although Landon wasn’t of the highest rank within the Rookies, being second-in-line allowed him to avoid the gauntlet and make it to the final challenge. The Rookies won the finals and Landon reeled in another trophy on his sophomore season.

General Landon turned into Lando Commando on the Duel II.

By Landon’s third season, it was evident that he was done being the ultimate competitor sidekick to Boston Robot CT on Inferno II and Superman Alton on Gauntlet II. Landon was now the number one guy. On the Duel II, Landon’s opposition was Brad, Evan, and Mark for the whole regular season. There were 9 regular season missions on the Duel II. One of them was a spelling bee (Spelling Air) and there was another that involved politics in which the cast basically determined who they would be fine with winning the competition (Last Man Standing). The other 7 missions in the season actually required competitive abilities. Out of those seven, Landon won five of them (All Shook Up, Burnt, Dangle Duo, Luge Your Mind, and Upside Downer), and he came in second place for the other two (Don’t Let Go and Freezing As Puck).

In All Shook Up, challengers fought to the death hanging onto a pair of parallel ropes above a mud pit. The goal of the mission was to shake everyone off the rope by any means necessary and be the last competitor hanging on. The final two in Landon’s first heat came down to Landon and Mark, and they had a grappling contest using just their legs to kick one another off while hanging onto the ropes for dear life. Landon successfully wrestled Mark off the ropes and soaked him in mud. Landon then went on to take care of Nehemiah and M.J. in the final heat to win the mission.

In Dangle Duo, individuals had to pair up with someone of the opposite sex and climb up a 100-foot chained ladder that was high in the air; fastest team to reach the bell at the top of the ladder would go on to win the mission. Landon outsmarted his opponents by being the only male to use his back as a stepping stool for his female partner, Brittni, so she can help herself climb up the ladder. The other females struggled to climb up the ladder in rapid pace due to poor upper body strength because their male partners failed to think of the same strategy Landon had thought of. Because of this, Landon and Brittni won.

In Upside Downer, players were suspended 200 feet into the air, over a river and had to swing from side to side using a rope under them to grab carvings that were suspended on both sides of the rope under them. The player to collect the ten carvings the fastest would go on to win the mission. Upside Downer was a mission that tested fear of heights and agility. Here were the results: Derek collected 1 tablet and was disqualified by the 10 minute time limit, M.J. collected the ten tablets with a time of 9 minutes 37 seconds, Evan - 5 minutes 27 seconds, Brad - 4 minutes 53 seconds, Mark - 2 minutes 52 seconds, and Landon got all ten with a time of 2 minutes flat. Landon performed as if he had the same exact contraption somewhere in his backyard. Landon’s Upside Downer showing was unreal, and it definitely deserves a mention in the super short list of greatest mission performances in Challenge history.

Landon saw two eliminations on the Duel II. He went into the fifth duel of the Season v. Isaac. They played Spot On, where they had to complete a puzzle that was located on a rock climbing wall. Puzzle-based eliminations are unsafe for any competitor, especially the best challenge athletes. They’re not allowed to use their strength or athleticism to inflict damage on their opponents, and they have to retreat to their brains to keep them alive. Puzzles are the perfect equalizers for mediocre competitors when they go up against a great athlete, but not if you’re going up against Landon (a great athlete who also happens to have ATG intelligence). Landon blew out Isaac on Spot On, just a few days after having just won the only intelligence based mission of the season, Luge My Mind.

Landon was one highly questionable elimination away from the only perfect career ever.

Landon dominated the Duel II all the way up until the final 4. When it got down to four remaining males, T.J. was out of missions and only had three spots for the finals. Landon, Brad, Evan, and Mark all had to vote one male to throw into the final male duel. Landon suggested writing down names into a hat, they all agreed and he left the room to go get pieces of paper. Fatal mistake. As soon as Landon left the room, the rest of the group plotted behind his back and agreed to write his name down and vote him in. Landon chose to go against Brad in the final male duel, Back Off, and lost 2-1 in a best-of-three rounds.

It’s a universal opinion within the Challenge fandom that Brad vs. Landon is one of the most questionable elimination results in challenge history. Landon was disqualified in the first round for not going after Brad’s ring and Brad got away with doing the same exact thing that Landon did in later rounds that got him the victory. Brad swinging Landon’s hook was such an illegal prayer of a move that was legal? Challenge production screwed this one up. I’m convinced they forgot to explain what wasn’t allowed and just let Brad win without making it a bigger controversy. Had Brad never “legally” swung Landon’s hook, Landon would’ve won the elimination and the final challenge would’ve been his to win.

Landon’s loss to Brad is the only blemish in his record. Not just elimination record. I’m talking career record. Landon is the greatest finals runner to ever exist in America’s Fifth Sport (only Jordan rivals him in this element). His performance in the Fresh Meat II final (which I get into later) manifests this notion. Landon’s ATG stamina and his upbringing of great outdoor activities – biking, hiking, and climbing – have allowed him to dominate every final challenge thrown his way. The Duel II final was tailor-made for him. Theoretically speaking, if the Back Off elimination was called fair, Landon eliminates Brad, goes to the final and wins comfortably barring the chance he gets eaten by a bear on his way to the finish line. Landon’s career then becomes: 6-0 elimination record, 4 out of 4 finals appearances, 4 out of 4 championship seasons, and a triple crown achievement. In the Challenge, no one is invincible. Landon almost was. Landon was one strange officiated elimination away from the only picture perfect career ever in Challenge history. But the reality is: Landon has a 5-1 elimination record, 3 out of 4 finals, and 3 out of 4 championships and that’s more than enough to take the Challenge throne…Especially, when you take into consideration the breaking record performances he had in his last championship season, Fresh Meat II.

Landon’s Fresh Meat II is the most impressive season performance in challenge history.

This is the season where the personality of Good Guy Landon and the out of this world physical abilities of Lando Commando join forces to make the perfect example of a what a challenge competitor should be. On FM2, Landon was dealt the worst hand you can ask for in Challenge land, a terrible partner. He was paired up with Carley, who is undoubtedly one of the worst female competitors to ever put on a Challenge uniform. There’s been 168 females to ever compete in the Challenge; Carley doesn’t crack top 150 if we’re judging based off pure competitive abilities. That’s how terrible Carley was. Landon still miraculously managed to win two missions with Carley. They were the only pair other than Kenny/Laurel to win multiple missions on FM2. Landon also won two exiles, despite having to drag Carley around who nearly died on more than one occasion, because her shape and conditioning was deadly poor.

Landon non-believers would argue that his FM2 win was against an average bunch. This is false. Landon’s high end opposition was Kenny and Laurel, Luke and Evelyn, Pete and Jillian, and Noor and Jenn. Laurel and Evelyn are the top 2 females to ever compete in the Challenge. Kenny, although average throughout his career as a competitor was a workhorse on FM2. Jenn and Jillian were well established veterans and above average competitors. Their partners Pete and Noor were some of the best rookie athletes the Challenge had seen during that time period. The competition in the final stages of FM2 was stacked and Landon defeated all of them while having a dead body attached to his hip that he had to carry around throughout the show’s entirety.

Exile v. The Women’s Division G.O.A.T.

As mentioned above, Carley doesn’t crack the top 150 females to have ever compete. Evelyn has a strong case for being the number one female ever from a pure competition standpoint. Her partner, Luke, is the definition of an Average Joe based off his performances on FM2 and Cutthroat. He wasn’t the fastest or the strongest. He actually had a smaller build than ninety percent of the males cast on the Challenge, but he was athletic, showed various skill (beat Big Easy in Swat), and proved himself as a long distance runner in the grueling Cutthroat final. There’s been 161 males to have ever compete on the Challenge. If I had to make a rough estimate where Luke ranked amongst every male to ever lace them up, I’d say Luke is somewhere between 70-80, worst case scenario.

The tale of the tape for the Landon/Carley v. Evelyn/Luke exile that happened at the end of the season was basically looking like: #1 all-time male Landon and #150 all-time female Carley vs. #1 all-time female Evelyn and #75 all-time Luke. The title for the gender-neutral G.O.A.T. title was on the line. Going into the exile, Evelyn had the large upper hand (a far better opposite sex partner). It was evident that Landon was going to have to break his back to have a chance at winning.

When the exile went underway, Carley blacked out and couldn’t carry any of the weights in her buckets. Landon carried all 150 pounds by himself, whereas Luke and Evelyn split carried theirs. Along with carrying all of Carley’s weight, he solved all three puzzles without her help because she was too busy trying to figure out where she was. Carley was a lifeless zombie. Landon literally dragged his lifeless zombie partner to the exile finish line, and finished with a faster time than Luke/Evelyn, eliminating them from FM2.

Landon’s exile performance against Luke/Evelyn might just be his greatest work ever (in an already extremely long laundry list of great work he’s done), but I got it second to his 100 point performance in the final challenge of FM2.

Landon’s final challenge performance on Fresh Meat II is the Challenge’s edition of Wilt’s 100 point game.

In the FM2 final, Landon/Carley faced the powerhouse team of the season, Kenny/Laurel. Kenny is widely considered one of the greatest long distance runners ever and Laurel is the second best female competitor to have ever exist in Challenge history. Landon had to deal with Carley’s deathly poor conditioning for another time for longer, greater distances against an even more elite duo than the one they had overcome in their exile just a few nights before. It was going to be impossible for Landon to win, but he defied all odds once again for one final time.

What Landon did in the Fresh Meat II final is equivalent to scoring a 100 point game in professional basketball. Landon scored 100 points by carrying an 80 pound bag without Carley’s assistance throughout the whole final, completing every checkpoint by himself, and pushing his lifeless anchor of a partner up a mountain to get them to the finish line first before the powerhouse duo of Kenny/Laurel.

Landon’s FM2 final challenge performance, just like Wilt’s 100 will never be topped again. I want to add more to this analogy by saying Landon’s FM2 regular season performance mirrors the greatest scoring season ever in NBA history, also by Wilt Chamberlain. Landon basically was putting up 50 points a game in Challenge terms by having to endure Carley’s W.O.A.T. tier abilities all season, and still winning missions, eliminations and the final at the very end. Landon’s good guy personality allowed him to keep calm, never lose his cool, and be the most encouraging and supportive partner Carley could ever ask for in a show where 90 percent of the people can never keep calm, are always losing their cool, and never ever supportive when they’re paired up with someone terrible.

Put the rest of the Mount Rushmore in Landon’s shoes on Fresh Meat 2. Envision current Jordan, a prime J.B., or a prime C.T. being paired up with the extremely terrible Carley. Jordan - Carley probably quits halfway in the competition because she can no longer tolerate the way Jordan speaks down on her competitive abilities. Assuming she doesn’t quit, Jordan is not strong enough to carry all 150 pounds in the exile all by himself and loses to Luke/Evelyn; plus his puzzle skills aren’t on the level of Landon’s; Bananas - Same as Jordan; C.T. – This one is interesting, because C.T. can easily carry all the exile weight by himself and finish the puzzles, and wins against Luke/Evelyn. However, prime C.T. was a loose cannon. In the small chance he does reach the final, he probably would’ve thrown Carley off the mountain and we would’ve never heard from her again. You get the narrative.

The 100 point final game and averaging 50 points throughout the FM2 season is why I have Landon #1 all-time, because I don’t think Jordan, J.B., or C.T. would have ever accomplished the same. None of these guys, in any version of themselves ever, possessed Landon’s patience and good-hearted personality that would’ve been able to keep Carley’s lifeline alive. This leads to my final point which is: Landon is only ‘total package’ competitor to ever touch Challenge soil; a title Jordan, J.B., and C.T. fall short of.

Landon’s Overall Assessment.

A total package in the Challenge is best described as a competitor who possesses all-time great tier abilities in nearly every element of the Challenge, while also showing no weaknesses. Numbers 2-4 of the Challenge Mount Rushmore come close to qualifying, but fall short for different reasons: Jordan has ATG athleticism, mental strength, strategy, stamina, and swimming. His shaky political game and hand-to-hand combat abilities, however, are a weakness. He also has that whole Free Agents and Total Madness showing; Bananas has ATG strategy and has a good balance in every other area. Although there aren’t any glaring holes in his competitive abilities, only one of them is considered all-time great and that fails to meet the requirement. Plus, we’ve seen some dud performances in his career; C.T. has ATG strength, athleticism, intelligence, eating, and mental strength. But I wouldn’t consider C.T. to have great leadership, he was too much of a hothead in the prime of his career. His long distance running has also shown to be faulty at times.

The rest of the top 10 also fail to qualify: Evan – mental strength was abysmal; Kenny – athleticism, intelligence, and various skills were poor; Darrell – same as Kenny; Derrick – adequate intelligence and smaller size hindered him in weight based eliminations; Mark – competitive killer instinct was missing; Alton – embarrassing mental strength and Battle of the Seasons is one large black hole in his resume.

There were no missing elements to Landon’s game whatsoever. Landon was an all-time great in the following categories: Strength, Athleticism, Intelligence, Leadership, Mental Strength, and Stamina. You can make a strong argument the he was either one of the best or at the very worst, a top 10 challenger in each of those categories. You can’t say that for any other competitor here. Landon being a total package competitor is exactly why he didn’t have to rely on a super intense political-social game to be successful. His competitive performances always kept him at the top of social structures without ever making any enemies. I’d take Landon’s laid back political/social over most guys (including Jordan and J.B., who put a bigger target on themselves and make more enemies). He wasn’t actively cutting deals or moving chess pieces, but people naturally gravitated towards him because of they looked up to him as a competitor and had a great personality. Landon’s career was extremely short in comparison to the J.B. and C.T., but there’s no question in my mind, had he kept doing more challenges, he would’ve went on to have the more successful career.

Along with having the best abilities out of any Challenge player ever, Landon’s accomplishments are praiseworthy enough to call him the Challenge G.O.A.T. He was the best player as a rookie on his first championship team (Inferno II Good Guys), he was the second best player on his second championship team as a sophomore (Gauntlet II Rookies), had the most dominant regular season ever and was one elimination away from winning a championship (Duel II), and has the greatest championship season ever bar none (Fresh Meat II). When you look at the summary of accomplishments in his career, what Landon did in just four seasons holds more G.O.A.T. value than what Johnny did in 20 seasons, C.T. did in seventeen, and Jordan did in seven. That’s why Landon is my #1 pick in an all-time draft of anybody ever in America’s Fifth Sport.

DraftKings Milly Maker Report: 2020 Third Quarter Rewind

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And it’s not just you — the name reminds us of another casino too — Spin Palace. The crazy thing is that it’s not just a coincidence. Spin Casino is owned and operated by the same company that owns and operates Spin Palace.
The name isn’t the only thing these two casinos have in common, though. They also have a similar, if not identical, casino. The games, graphics, and stakes are alike.
If playing at identical casinos isn’t your cup of tea, we totally understand. There are tons of unique places to play online. You can browse our review section and find dozens of them.
However, if this doesn’t bother you, then the upside is that you know that you can expect a high-quality and enjoyable experience at Spin Casino.
That said, we aren’t about to rest on our laurels just because Spin Casino is similar to its sister casinos. This is why we still reviewed Spin Casino with the same scrutiny we do when we review other casinos.
This means our review below includes both the good and the bad information that we found. It means we didn’t take money for a fluffy review or inflated rating. And it also means that we’re going to tell you exactly what you need to hear so that you can decide whether Spin Casino is the right site for you to join.
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Spin Casino Basic Information

Spin Casino has a license with the Malta Gaming Authority and Kahnawake Gaming Commission. They’re licensed under the names Bayton Ltd and Baytree Ltd.
Bayton Ltd and Baytree Ltd are both managed by The Palace Group. There’s a good chance that you’ve heard of The Palace Group, or at least heard of or played at one of their brands. Some of the other brands they operate include Spin Palace, Ruby Fortune, and Mummy’s Gold.
The Palace Group has been in business a long time, too — since 2001. This means that they’re getting close to their 20th anniversary online, which is light years compared to other casinos.
Between their time in business and their gaming licenses, you can feel comfortable playing at any of their brands. This includes Spin Casino.

Restricted Countries – Who Can’t Play

Players from the following countries cannot play at Spin Casino.

Australia
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
France and Outlying Territories
Germany
Hong Kong
Iran
Israel
Italy
Myanmar
North Korea
Philippines
Portugal
Romania
Singapore
Slovakia
South Africa
Spain
USA and Outlying Territories
Taiwan
Turkey
Hungary
United Kingdom

Keep in mind that this list can change at any time. For that reason, we recommend you periodically check Spin Casino’s terms and conditions to see if your country has been added to the list of prohibited countries.
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The Casino

In the following sections, we’re going to look at Spin Casino’s games. That way, you can get an idea of the games they offer so that you can decide if they’ll be a good fit for you.
Unlike most casinos nowadays, Spin Casino uses only Microgaming software for its animated casino games. There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s just that you won’t have the game or graphics variety that you will have at casinos that work with multiple software providers.
Trust us, though; this casino is plenty good enough. Spin Casino offers a little bit of everything here including slots, video poker, and table games.
They have a live dealer casino, too. Their live games come from Evolution and Ezugi, who are heavy hitters in the live gaming space. The result is a robust selection of live games. We’ll look at these later.
The one confusing aspect of their casino is that there are three sections — a casino, live casino, and Vegas (casino). We’re going to list some of their games below, but we’re only going to make a distinction between their animated and live dealer games.
We also noticed that their Vegas casino section doesn’t have any filters. You can’t select the type of games (slots, table games, video poker, etc.) that you want to see. This can make it tough to find the type of game you’re looking for unless you already know what it’s called.
The good news is that most, if not all, of their Vegas games, are also available in their main casino. This means there’s a chance you won’t need to visit the Vegas section at all.
Anyway, that covers the basics. Let’s now jump into each section and look at some specific examples of casino games you can play at Spin Casino.

Table Games

We’re going to start with Spin Casino’s table games. The following is a list of card and poker games that we found during our review.

Atlantic City Blackjack
Baccarat
Roulette
3 Card Poker
Card Climber
Classic Blackjack
Craps
Double Exposure Blackjack
European Blackjack
European Roulette
Flip Card
High-Speed Poker
Hold’em High
Vegas Downtown Blackjack
Multi Wheel Roulette
Red Dog
Super Fun 21
Vegas Strip Blackjack
Spanish Blackjack
Triple Pocket Hold’em Poker
Cyberstud
And more!

There are both pluses and minuses to Spin Casino’s table game section. We’ll start with the downsides.
The most frustrating thing about their table games is that there’s no way to filter for specific games in the Vegas section. This can make it incredibly tough to find the games you want to play unless you already know what they’re called.
Another thing we were sort of unimpressed with is the lack of non-blackjack and roulette games. There are not enough games to offset all the blackjack and roulette options.
However, that brings us to one of the good things about their table game selection. They have lots of blackjack and roulette games.
In fact, you’ll find more than 30 blackjack games and more than 10 roulette games. Some of these are merely high-stakes variants or duplicate titles with improved graphics. Even discounting those, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better selection elsewhere.
Another thing we’re fans of is some of the unique games that you’ll find at Spin Casino that aren’t readily available elsewhere. For example, we can’t think of another casino that offers Triple Pocket Hold’em, Hold’em High, or Card Climber.
That’s always a good thing.
Table Game Testing, Graphics, and Stakes
Once we were done browsing their games, we opened a few of them up to make sure they worked well and to see what their graphics and stakes are like.
The graphics for the games we tested are pretty good. They’re not glossy, overly polished, or even realistic. They look more like animated games. There’s nothing wrong with that, though.
They don’t make it clear the stakes you can play for. We had to manually decrease and increase our bets to figure out the limits. The stakes we found varied from $2/hand or round to as much as $1,000. But keep in mind that this may vary depending on the game you play.
These aren’t bad limits — they’re higher than what many casinos offer. No t only that, but we also anticipated their live dealer casino offering even higher stakes. This means that we’re less concerned about how high the stakes are in this section of their casino.
We’ll look at their live dealer section in a few minutes.

Video Poker

The next section we checked out was Spin Casino’s video poker games. Here are the games we found during our review.

Aces & Eights Poker
Aces and Faces
All Aces Poker
Deuces Wild Poker
Deuces Wild Bonus Poker
Double Double Bonus Poker
Jacks or Better Poker
All American
Bonus Poker
Deuces & Joker Poker
Joker Poker
Louisiana Double Poker
Tens or Better Poker

This is an okay selection. On top of this, you’ll find “power,” “multi-hand,” and “Gold Series” variants that you can also choose from. We counted nearly 25 poker games in their main casino.
There are video poker machines in the Vegas section too, but we didn’t find anything different than what’s listed above.
Testing Their Games, Graphics, and Stakes
We tested a couple of their poker games during our review.
The games we played had average graphics, but that’s to be expected with video poker machines. They’re not meant to be fancy. They worked great, though. We experienced no lagging or bugs.
Some of them had neat features, too. For example, the machines we played offered the chance to double your winnings. When you make a winning hand, you can click the “double” button to play a mini-game to see if you can double up. Keep in mind that if you lose this game, you lose everything.
The best feature, though, had to be the automatic hold. Many video poker machines will tell you when you made a winning hand so that you don’t forget to hold those cards. However, one of the machines we played automatically held the best cards according to the common video poker strategy.
Now, we don’t know what strategy these machines are using or how optimal that strategy is. However, they did hold the cards we would have had this feature not existed. This is a neat option if you’re new to video poker and aren’t sure how to play optimally.
As far as stakes go, we found machines that let us play for as little as $0.25 per coin to as much as $50 per round. We recommend you bet the max number of coins, though, which means your minimum bet will be $1.25. This will vary from machine to machine, though.
Overall, we liked Spin Casino’s video poker section. We’d like to see more unique titles to choose from, but our opinion is that this lineup will work for most people reading this.

Slots

Next up is Spin Casino’s slot selection. They have far too many slot machines to list here, but here is a small sample to give you an idea of what you’ll be able to play.

5 Reel Drive
Snow & Sable
Amazing Aztecs
Book of Oz
Cashville
Cash of Kingdoms
Diamond Empire
Dolphin Coast
Fruit vs Candy
Halloween
Girls with Guns
Game of Thrones
Highlander
Jurassic World
Lady in Red
Kings of Cash
Hitman
Lost Vegas
Lucky Koi
Oink Country Love
Pretty Kitty
Moby Dick
Monster Wheels
Robin of Sherwood
Silver Fang
So Much Sushi
The Great Albini
The Phantom of the Opera
Tomb Raider
Win Sum Dim Sum
Fat Lady Sings
Jekyll & Hyde
Jurassic Park
The Legend of Olympus
Throne of Egypt
Steam Punk Heroes
Winning Wizards
Untamed Bengal Tiger
Old King Cole
And more!

You’ll find all these slots in the main casino. There are plenty more where this comes from too. You’ll also find more slots — including unique titles not found in the main casino — inside the Vegas section.
That said, their selection of slots is much smaller than we expected considering that they work with Microgaming. We still can’t complain, though, especially after seeing some of the titles that you can play here.
For example, the slots that stood out to us are the licensed/branded slots. Licensed slots are machines that revolve around IP that other companies own. This includes movies (Jurassic Park), video games (Hitman), TV shows (Game of Thrones), and more.
These are fun to play because it’s highly likely that you’re going to be a fan of whatever the slot machine is about. For example, we like Jurassic Park. This means we get to kill two birds with one stone — play slots about a theme we really like.
Not only that, but you can play many of these slot machines in brick-and-mortar casinos. We’ve played Game of Thrones countless times during our trips to Las Vegas.
And this is just the licensed slots. You still have all the other slots that Spin Casino has to offer. This includes slots with bonus rounds, 3 and 5 reels, progressive jackpots, and features such as free spins, wilds, scatters, and more.
As for stakes, they vary so much that it’s hard to give concrete numbers. That said, we found machines that allowed us to play for as little as $0.10/spin to as much as $200. Most of the machines we looked at maxed out at $30 or less, though. This means that you might have to do some digging to find the machines with higher limits.
Overall, while Spin Casino’s slot section can definitely be bigger given that they’re powered by Microgaming, what they do have will be more than enough for most people.
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Live Dealer Games

Last up is Spin Casino’s live dealer section. Here are the games we found during our review.

Dragon Tiger
Private Blackjack
Shangri La Roulette
Dream Catcher
Casino Hold’em
Baccarat
Football Studio
Roulette
Ultimate Texas Hold’em
Lightning Roulette
Infinite Blackjack
Baccarat Super 6
Evolution Party Table

This is a solid selection of live games, especially when compared to other online casinos. But that’s not a surprise since some of these games come from Evolution Gaming, who’s a heavy hitter in the live gaming space.
Once you click on one of these games, you’ll be redirected to a section where you’ll find several tables to choose from (depending on the game). You’ll also find a navigation bar at the top with several filters to help you quickly find the game you want to play.
The lowest stakes we found for these games is $5 for blackjack. This is sort of a bummer since some live blackjack games can be played for as little as $1. However, $5 is pretty standard for a live game, so it’s not something we can hold against them.
You can play some of their other games, like baccarat or roulette, for $0.10-$1 per round.
The highest stakes we found were $5,000 for blackjack, $2,000 for roulette, and as much as $5,000 for everything else. These aren’t th highest stakes online, but they should work for most people.
One of the most impressive things about their games is the camera work. The different angles they use and the close-ups make it look like you’re watching a movie. Depending on the game, you can also change the camera option. For example, the roulette game lets you choose from 3D, immersive, or classic camera angles
The streams were very good considering how good the camera work was. We noticed a few lags, but they didn’t take away from the game much. The resolution was pretty good regardless.
Other features include the option to chat with your tablemates and the dealer, adjust the sound and camera angles, bet behind, and set up automatic actions. You can even multi-table several games at once.
Overall, we’re impressed with the live dealer casino at Spin Casino. You’ll have plenty of games to choose from, stakes, features, and men and women dealers that speak different languages.
We recommend you check it out.
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The Sportsbook

Spin Casino is unique from some of the other casinos under The Palace Group brand in that they also have a sportsbook. It’s called Spin Sports.
Here’s what you can expect to find if you choose to bet here.

Sports, Market, and Betting Options

Spin Sports has an excellent selection of sports that you can bet on. Here’s what we found during our review.

Soccer
Basketball
Tennis
Ice Hockey
American Football
Handball
Volleyball
Cricket
Rugby Union
Rugby League
Esports
Specials
Virtual Sports
Boxing
Gold
Badminton
Winter Sports
MMA
Darts
Snooker and Pool
Baseball
Cycling
Motor Racing
Speedway
Floorball
Table Tennis
Bandy
Aussie Rules
Surfing
Netball
Gaelic Football
Gaelic Hurling
Super Spin Specials

Many of these options have dropdown menus, too.
For example, click on the soccer option, and a dropdown menu containing options such as England, Europe, Spain, Italy, and Germany will appear. This goes for many of the other options, too — you’ll find countries as subcategories. You’ll need to click on these to find the different leagues that play in those countries.
Your betting options will obviously depend on the sport you bet on. We found plenty of choices, though. For example, you can bet outrights or money lines for Europa basketball. You’ll find spread betting, more money lines, oveunder, and outrights for NBA games.
Click on a match, and you’ll find additional markets. For example, we checked out an NBA game and found options to bet on different quarters, total points, team points per quarter or half, overtime, and more.
There are plenty of betting options here, which was a surprise, honestly, considering who’s running this sportsbook.

Live Betting

Spin Sports also offers live sports betting.
When we were there, you could bet on soccer, basketball, tennis, ice hockey, and cricket. We wouldn’t be surprised if they covered more matches than this (when those games are available).
In fact, we know that’s the case since we looked at their Event View and Live Schedule tabs. This is where you’ll see all the sports you can bet on, all the matches, and the number of betting opportunities available for each one.
And that’s about it for their live sportsbook. The one thing we’d really like to see added in the future is the option to watch live streams. It’d make sense to add a racebook too.
Here’s hoping that Spin Sports has both items on their to-do list.
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Final Thoughts

Spin Sports is a much better sportsbook than we expected. It’s hard to expect something this impressive from a company that has been running only casinos for more than a decade.
We’re fans, though. There are plenty of sports and markets to bet on. You also have your standard options for betting in American, fractional, or decimal odds, as well as using the sportsbook in different languages.
That said, there is room for improvement. They could add a racebook, live streaming, and additional features and build out their esports section.
But we think they’ve done a good job so far, and it’ll be more than enough for your typical casino player or recreational bettor.

Banking Options

Something we noticed during our review is that there’s the option to deposit inside both the casino and the sportsbook. As far as we can tell, it looks like you’ll want to deposit to the section you plan to spend your time in.
In other words, if you want to bet sports, you’ll want to deposit to your sportsbook account. If you want to play blackjack or slots, you’ll want to make your deposit to the casino.
The good news is that it looks like the same banking options are accepted in both sections. Find an option that works for you, and you can use it in both places.
When we reviewed Spin Casino, we didn’t find any evidence that suggests they charge fees on their deposits. This is great news. However, it’s not clear whether they charge fees on withdrawals.
As for limits, you can cash out as much as €4,000 per week if the amount you’re trying to cash out is more than 5x the amount that you’ve deposited over the life of your account. Otherwise, it looks like you can cash out as much as £10,000 in a 24-hour period.
This will depend on the banking option you use, of course.
Progressive jackpots are exempt from these rules, which is great to see. It’s no surprise, though, considering that they work with Microgaming.
That wraps up their banking details. The following two sections will list the banking methods you can use to fund and cash out your account.

Deposits

Visa
Visa Electron
Mastercard
Maestro
Neteller
iDebit
Trustly
Skrill
Echeck
MuchBetter
Paysafecard
Instant Banking
Neosurf
ecoPayz
Flexepin
Direct Bank Transfer

Withdrawals

Credit Card
Debit Card
PayPal
Neteller
Skrill
Paysafecard
ecoCard
Citadel
Instadebit
Direct Bank Transfer
Echeck

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Bonus Promotions

You can claim a few promotions as a customer of Spin Casino and Spin Sports. The following sections summarize the offers you can claim and the terms you need to fulfill if you do.

Spin Casino Promotions

The following are offers that you’ll find under the promotions tab on the casino side of things.

New Player Bonus

This is an offer available to first-time customers. Spin Casino is offering a 100% match bonus of up to $1,000. It’s spread out over your first three deposits like this.

First Deposit – 100% match up to $400
Second Deposit – 100% match up to $300
Third Deposit – 100% match up to $300

This is a nice offer because you have multiple opportunities to claim as much as you can. It’s especially helpful for players on a budget who can’t deposit $1,000 in one shot.
You will need to roll over this bonus 50x, though the playthrough will depend on the casino game you play. We recommend reading their terms if you plan to play a game other than slots.
The downside to this offer is that if you do happen to complete the playthrough with money to spare, and you want to withdraw it, cash-outs will be limited to 100 casino credits. You’ll forfeit the rest of the bonus.
That being the case, it might make more sense to play the bonus (and lose money) until you only have 100 credits left. Then make a withdrawal if you want. That way, you can enjoy the bonus money/winnings for as long as possible.
And that’s all they have for bonus offers. Spin Casino does say that they offer bonuses on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. We have no idea what those offers look like, though.
While we were there, we did notice that they have a “bonus wheel.” You spin the wheel, and you can earn prizes, such as bonuses to claim. It looks like you can spin the wheel once every couple of hours.
This is pretty neat.

Loyalty Club

Spin Casino also offers a loyalty club. This is a multi-tier program that awards more perks the higher your status.
This program has six levels.

Blue
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Diamond
Privé

As you ascend, you’ll receive additional perks such as bonus points, more entry points, exclusive tournaments, VIP support, phone support, and exclusive gifts and bonuses.
You can receive monthly bonuses too. Climb the ladder to the very top of their VIP program, and you can receive more than $10,000 every month in bonuses.
Getting to each tier is straightforward — you need to earn so many points to reach a specific status, and then so many points to maintain that status each month. You’ll earn 1 point for every $10 you spend in the casino.
We recommend you read their promotions page to determine for sure if this program will be a good fit for you. But if we understand their points setup and minimum point requirements correctly, then this looks like a good program to use — even for low-stakes players!

Spin Sports Promotions

You’ll need to be in the sportsbook section in order to find their sports betting promotions. The following are the promotions we found during our review, including what you can get and the terms you need to fulfill.
Free Bet – First-time sports bettors will be able to claim a free bet bonus. This is a 100% match up to $200. To claim the offer, deposit at least $10.
This offer has a 5x rollover ($1,000 if you claim the entire $200) before you can withdraw any winnings. We recommend you read their terms and conditions for their other rules, as you’ll need to abide by odd minimums/maximums when you make your bets.
And that’s the only offer we found for sports bettors during our review.
This isn’t a bad offer by any means. That said, it would be great if they had a few other promotions running. It’d be nice to see some kind of cashback or rebate offer or additional bonuses.
But as the saying goes, something is better than nothing.

Mobile Friendliness

Both Spin Casino and Spin Sports are mobile-friendly. You don’t need to download any apps. All you need to do is go to the casino or sportsbook from your phone or tablet and log in. You’ll be able to play all games and make bets from your browser.
It looks like you’ll have the full sportsbook at your disposal. And considering that they work with Microgaming and Evolution Gaming, we wouldn’t be surprised if most or even all of their casino games are available.
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Customer Support

You can use the following options to contact Spin Casino.

Live chat
Email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

The email address above is addressed to the parent company of Spin Casino. The issue with that is they manage several other casinos.
For that reason, we recommend that you make it clear that you’re a Spin Casino customer when you contact them. That way, you eliminate any confusion and reduce the chances of any unnecessary back and forth.
We were disappointed to see that they don’t offer phone support despite saying they do in multiple places throughout their website.
That said, phone support still isn’t a standard communication method offered by online gambling sites. It wouldn’t be fair if we held the lack of phone support against Spin Casino.
Besides, you can contact them 24/7 using the methods above. We sent Spin Casino an email, and we were surprised to receive a response less than two hours later. They answered our questions, too.
That’s better than the average casino for sure. For that reason, we give Spin Casino’s support two virtual thumbs up.

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2020-21 NBA win totals have opened. See the projected win totals and over/under odds for all 30 NBA teams for the 2020-21 NBA season. 2019-20 NBA Over/Under Win Total Betting Odds. Here’s some info for those that aren’t familiar with how these bets work. Oddsmakers set a number of victories for each team. You can either bet on that squad to go over or under that mark. Note that this is for regular season games only. Playoffs do not count. It’s also important to note that win totals aren’t paid until the year is over ... Examples seen on the NBA Vegas Odds pages could include -08, -12, -15 and -20. The -10 price is the most common value in the industry while many books offer reduced 'juice odds' and that would fall into the -08 category. The lower-juice sportsbooks are normally found outside of the state of Nevada. If you are in a state where sports betting is legal, please check out our online sportsbook ... 2020-21 NBA Win Total Odds: Expectations Tempered for Houston Rockets Amid James Harden Saga. NBA. Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty Images. Pictured: James Harden, Houston Rockets. Action Network Staff. Dec 14, 2020, 12:42 PM EST. Download App. 2021 NBA Win Total Odds. Odds via PointsBet, where you can get $250 FREE instantly after signing up AND your bets automatically sync to the Action app ... NBA News: NBA 2020 Win Total Odds and Betting Results: Golden State Warriors easily go Under their season win total while the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies exceed the expectations from the oddsmakers in Las Vegas. provided by VegasInsider.com, along with more pro basketball information for your sports gaming and betting needs. The NBA team projected to be in the league basement is the Cleveland Cavaliers, with sportsbooks tabbing their O/U win total at 21.5. Cleveland, which finished last season with 19 wins in 65 games, edges out the New York Knicks (O/U 22.5) for the team with the lowest line. The 2020-21 NBA regular season is a bit different than in years past. Unfortunately due to the Coronavirus pandemic, bettors with active Win Total wagers could see their bets refunded since the regular season may not return or be reduced. At the same time, losing wagers will also be refunded. 2020-21 NBA Win Totals Odds. Listed below are the 2020-21 NBA Win Totals Odds in both Ascending and Alphabetical order. The exercise of handicapping the NBA Over/Under season wins market is an important part of evaluating my priors that will be used in game-by-game betting as we start the season. This article lays out the 10 teams my numbers disagree the most on relative to the market, with some discussion as to why there may be a misfit and other considerations for betting the win totals market. Sportsbooks already are offering odds for NBA season win totals, and the SportsLine Projection Model has generated the top five value positions on the wagering menu. By SportsLine Staff @ SportsLine Published: Oct 17, 2019 1:34AM UTC. 2 min read. Following a whirlwind free agency period and several blockbuster offseason trades, revamped NBA rosters are starting to take shape with the opener ... 2021 NBA win total odds: Bucks, Lakers on top; James Harden trade rumors holding up Nets, Rockets numbers William Hill Sportsbook has released win totals for the 2020-21 NBA season for all but three teams. By SportsLine Staff @ SportsLine Updated: Nov 20, 2020 7:14PM UTC. 4 min read. The 2020-21 NBA season will tip off Dec. 22, but the league has not released the 72-game schedules for teams ...

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2021 NBA win total odds: Bucks, Lakers on top; James ...

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r/nba thinks Vegas is overrating Warriors/Hawks, underrating Lakers/Rockets in latest Win Totals projections

the effect of voter fatigue may be overstated, which leaves the MVP race less crowded than we’d like to admit

TIER 3: theoretically possible, but very unlikely

TIER 2: potential candidates, but unlikely winners

TIER 1: true and legitimate candidates

[Vegas Insider] Early NBA W/L odds expect Mavs to be 4th in West with o/u of 42.5, behind LAL/LAC/DEN and ahead of POR/UTA/PHX/GSW

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the complete COACH OF THE YEAR Ballot

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